


Metallic Need

by Cutegirlmayra



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, cutegirlmayra, metal amy - Freeform, metal sonamy, metal sonicxmetal amy, sonamy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-04-13 14:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 84,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14114235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cutegirlmayra/pseuds/Cutegirlmayra
Summary: Metal Sonic breaks out of his prison with a vengeance, set with a new theory that Sonic's friends give him strength, he creates his own 'support' and plans on destroying Sonic with his own perfect team. Sonic won't have any of that! However, he finds that Metal him may have created his ultimate downfall without his help...Can Robots really feel? (MetalSonicxMetalAmy)(Some Sonamy)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Season 2 is confirmed, so this will undergo editing just like Instincts will before it's season 2. :) Look forward to the changes and updates!

Metallic Need

Ch. 1

By: Cutegirlmayra (By all rights, I shouldn't be writing this story… I need to finish Sonic Supers and then Instincts XD but just like Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom, I at least want the first chapter up. So I won't finish this till Instincts is done, kinda like with Sonic and the Chaos Kingdom. Be patient! And hopefully, I can finish it when I get back from my mission or before then. Also, I just got my wisdom teeth pulled T-T So I'm writing this in pain as you read…. –sigh- Guess that fits the setting tho, lol! Pain~ but can a robot really feel that..?

I'm not referring to Metal Sonic… either…

Even if this won't be completed before Instincts, I had the urge to write one more chapter xD lol, Metal Sonic's five year plan kinda deal made me laugh pretty hard after rereading it. I hope you enjoy this story. As you may know from my other stories, I love plot, character, and most importantly, suspenseful drama within blooming romance~ EDITED: I tried to make it better :) neater. I also combined both Chapter 1 and 2 to make more space and room for Season 2. You may find this throughout my edits. ;) )

The Egg-shuttle's large sliding doors zoomed open to the sides at lightning speeds, causing a rippling effect through the whole space shuttle. It was... as old as time itself.

Eggman waited for the large, booming sound created by the doors to settle. Bits of the old ceiling above sprinkled down like crumbs of ash, giving further age to the dust already upon the ground. A large beep or buzzer was heard as Eggman looked up from being covered in the shadows. His glasses... the only thing shining in this abandoned junkyard of time.

He had thrown this hunk of junk into space, thinking it to be the perfect storage system, a nice little stroll through memory lane every now and then. Inspiring him perhaps... Not that he needed it, but it could be nice from time to time.

He stepped forward, continuing in his stride as past machines and inventions were seen from days gone by… when he was young, to when he first met Sonic, and onward.

At the very back of the heap of scrap metal, towards the very tangled cords and unladen electrical computers- completely void of any life and substance- hung his greatest and grievous creation yet…

"Ah, Metal Sonic." The old doctor looked up at the rusted blue and scrapped up Metal corpse of the being he referred to. His mustache twitched to the side slightly, then straightened himself up and gave a deeper, more profound look at it.

Eggman placed his hands behind his back and sighed, "So much planned devastation could have come from you…" he seemed to mourn but also mock the inactivated machine. "But I had to give you an AI… and I suppose that influenced you to rebel against me in the end… I wonder…" He looked down from the robot, seeming deep in thought as he spoke out loud. "If I had made your programming stronger… completely taken out your will entirely,... would you have still failed me? Perhaps a less dramatic betrayal, but...eh." he shrugged. "I suppose you were one of my most… the most... unfortunate….designs of mine."

There seemed to be some ownership over Metal Sonic's failure that Eggman had resigned to. But at the same time, a conflicting choking in his voice, as though to not take the sorrowful fault, or blame, entirely upon himself.

Eggman turned around, walking out of the storage shuttle as the doors began creaking to close behind him. Looking over his shoulder through the decreasing gap between the old, steel doors; he took only a moment to gaze upon the room one last, final time before departing.

After a quick scan, he huffed and raised his arm up. "Whelp! Back to work! Hahaha!"

The doors slid shut behind him, and the lights flickered off.

Seemed like the old man refused to be too sentimental.

…But in the darkness, an old ingenious plan was beginning to rise…

As the doors shut, the electrical circuits began to carry that momentum of conductive electricity into a funneled engine. The engine began to rotate, as it then started sparking with motion. This rubbed against the outer sides that created friction- and that whole process created a huge...

Power surge.

The surge moved through another elaborately and well-designed energy cord that soon spider-webbed out into a massive string of networks.

Computers with coding still in them and programming already set up turned on along with objects created for fixing and forging from above. Slowly, they dropped down like cranes from the ceiling, wielding such things as drills, screws, hammers, and all the old robotic devices Eggman had used to create his machines of old as quickly as he could. Abandoned, but functional. Never having gone obsolete.

Each mechanized gadget had a purpose and data already designed within it, allowing them to go straight to work once activated.

The spider-web ended at Metal Sonic's prison, a large tube with him trapped inside. Strung up by chords that spiraled around him, he hung down with his arms spread out to form a 'T' with these cords pulsing electricity all throughout him. It was as though these vines entangled him with an enclosed death... but as of now-

Freedom

His dented, damaged, and shredded body reared upward. Sparks flew all around his core, trying to force life within him again.

The computers had code blazing across their data screens.

The tube was being shocked from every end of it... before being lifted up, inch by inch... and releasing its caged attendant.

Metal's body was being shocked left and right, making it jolt and strain and struggle as if in pain or agony at all the electrical power.

The repairs started at once, as the crane machines with different parts and pieces to them, each separately unique, went right to their robotic roles... One, having three claws on each hand, grabbed and ripped metal from the existing scrap around the wasted junkyard and contorted it to Metal's frame. The crane machine with a torch burnt through Metal Sonic's core to replace broken data and circuit boards with new ones, as he slowly twitched with life and jolted with intense sparks.

And then…

flickering on with a grudge...

Blazing red eyes.

After a few hours, Metal Sonic jumped down from being hung up and worked on for so long. He looked over his body and glared at a dented side through a piece of reflective trash next to him. The shine it produced was sufficient enough to reveal his appearance...

"THIS WILL NOT DO..." He growled out, his metallic voice giving little emotion to him, but definitely stated some irritation.

He looked rusted and old, even if he was functioning, and he seemed to hate his voice as he placed a clawed hand up to his speaker- a small mouthpiece if you will, or a rectangle that glowed every time he spoke.

"I MUST FIX MY INFERIORITIES ONCE I CREATE MY SUBORDINATES…"

He realized that after repairing himself with the limited items around him from the scrapped and tossed machinery, that only a few operational supplies were left to achieve his goals of making a 'team'... he'd have to work with what was available, and scavage for better materials later.

He looked around...

Before he was deactivated, he had played dead, conserving enough energy to set up this rig that allowed him to operate without the Doctor's influence once more.

Still being obsessed with the raging thoughts of defeating Sonic, he had wanted to analyze what made Sonic so strong against him…

It couldn't be his natural abilities… for Metal Sonic had each and every one of them but enhanced to be more powerful than any organic strength could possibly take on, let alone possess. Even Metal couldn't sustain the power for long... maybe with a chaos emerald... but still.

It couldn't be his wit… Metal was a computer, after all, a built tactician. He had many of his own unique abilities coupled with foolproof strategies that still had him defeated by Sonic time and time again…

What made Sonic so powerful?

Metal had rewatched his memory files and finally concluded that Sonic's support was what carried him through to victory in the long... and the last run.

So Metal needed some support of his own…

"BY MAKING SONIC'S STRENGTH MY OWN, I SHALL TRULY PROVE TO BE THE BETTER, FASTER, AND MORE ABLE SONIC." Metal started to pick up materials and harvested enough to start creating his own support.

"THEY MUST BE PERFECT..." he hated the idea of added 'help'... but didn't disagree with 'distractions for profitable uses'...

After a few hours, their prototypes were completed, and all he needed now was to get them out of this rusty old ship and down to earth. There, he could find better equipment and supplies to assure their perfection; to truly make them superior to their counterparts- like himself.

"DEFENSIVE." Metal walked by a Metal Knuckles, whose eyes flickered on, as he blinked for the first time. "YOU WILL SERVE AS MY BODYGUARD, KEEPING ALL OTHER DISTRACTIONS AWAY WHILE I DESTROY SONIC."

"LONG RANGE OFFENSIVE." Metal Sonic walked by a Metal Tails, whose eyes also flickered on. It slowly slid its head with a loud, creaking screech as Metal walked by, revealing how truly rusty and old the parts were that Metal used to create him. "YOU WILL ALSO BE MY INTELLIGENCE. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, UNDOUBTEDLY FROM WHEN I LAST FACED SONIC. BUT YOU WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO BE COMBAT READY. AND YOU WILL KEEP HIS FRIENDS AT BAY WHILST I DESTROY HIM."

Finally… he came up to a softer looking robot, one he seemed unable to fully finish. Half it's face was still uncovered, while the rest was made of some metal-coating formed to give it as close a resemblance to its counterpart as possible. It showed the cords and gears inside itself, cranking with delicate ticks and seeming to process as much as it possibly could, simply making due with the limitations it was given. It stood motionless; Since all power was being used to transfer information to its unfinished processors and memory banks.

"…MAINTENANCE."

Metal Amy's eyes slowly, with great difficulty and some squeaking of the lids, finally managing to unstuck themselves and shoot open. Eyes flickered on, as it looked dead at Metal Sonic. It tilted its head down in a sideways, quick lurch forwards. Strangely enough, this action gave off a quirky, cute gesture of curiosity.

Metal didn't see any real significance in creating this one. Only that Sonic kept her counterpart around, meaning she must do something for his theory to be correct... if Sonic gains added strength from his allies, then all his friends must be manufactured for Metal Sonic's cause...

All he knew... was that he needed to weaken that strength through adopting it. Even if it meant replicating his own, faultless design of perfection. As improbable as that was to him, he would at least make them worthy of being his own creations.

Just like his copycat ability, he had coded similar functions in his team, planning on having them observe Sonic and his friends to then understand their doppelgangers moves and tactics. If all goes well... Metal Sonic will truly prove that he's the superior Sonic, that even with Sonic's 'friends' he could be better than him.

"YOU…" he just glared a half-facing eye at her, as the other two walked behind him, and stared at her as well.

The cold of his disapproval made Metal Amy straighten her head up, as her gaze took her around the room, studying her environment.

"… YOU WILL BE IN CHARGE OF RECHARGING MY SYSTEMS, REPAIRING ANY DAMAGES I TAKE, AND ENSURING I AM ABLE TO CONTINUE FIGHTING SONIC. YOU WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO BE COMBAT READY."

Metal Amy didn't seem to really be paying attention as she looked down at her hands, and then her strange new body. Fainted red with silver splotches were re-figured into a somewhat looking dress that she scaled her unfinished hand daintily over by her waist area. Was she admiring her new form or curious of this new existence given to her? Perhaps just being self-aware of her new functions- being able to think and to move, to experience and to have programming- All things she was experiencing for the first time.

An organized mass of electrical components.

She was simply realizing she was somewhat alive. Forged into something anew from her wasted away carcass of mismatching machine parts here and there. Tossed and abandoned... but now, hand-selected to some purpose, some cause she was just beginning to process through and understand.

She was taking a moment to experience the tingling of chords pulsing with a continual electrical frequency throughout her metallic body, of code streaming through her circuits of wiry veins like bubbles of light. Oil splashed and boiled from her stomach to give heat to move and to express her thoughts outwardly...

Something soon to be found dangerous... and threatening.

Metal Sonic's tolerance didn't last long at her silent awareness as his hand shot up and grabbed her chin, pinching it in and denting her face. It forced her to look at him as he slightly pulled her closer...

"DO YOU REGISTER YOUR PROGRAMMING?" he asked, as her data started putting two and two together. "YOU MAY BE UNFINISHED. BUT YOU HAVE ABLE MEANS TO PROCESS. DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?"

"…M…Metal Sonic… M-M-My master." Her voice was like a hum, calm and soft. Gentle, like a computer's tone when it starts to make processing purrs, searching for something, or downloading data. It stuttered like a robot but blinked like a child.

Metal Sonic seemed silently taken aback by her voice and her strange accuracy in blinking as if she needed to. Her strange maneuvers puzzled him.

Nevertheless, he thrust her back and out of his hand's grasps.

"YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR PURPOSE OF CREATION?" he held his piercing red glare.

The other two supports seemed to think themselves better than her, noting that they weren't scolded by their master and that their prototypes were already completed. In this reasoning, they judged her and mimicked their master's glare towards her. They continued to watch their master ask his questions, not even batting an eye, or glancing themselves over as Metal Amy had done.

Metal Amy stumbled forward, but her balancing ability that Metal Sonic had infused in her data-core kicked in, and she quickly gained a rather strong and sturdy stance. Slamming a foot down and robotically jittering left and right, Her shock-absorbers were barely adequate as she restabilized herself from the forceful thrust.

This caught Metal Sonic's attention, as it looked like she was about to fire herself back at him and attack.

However, she didn't. As she broke from her form, wobbling until the vibrations from the force ceased in power, she stood perfectly upright. Turning around, she bowed to him. "To recharge and maint-t-t-tain the Master's power and armor. I-I-I-I comply."

"….GOOD." Metal Sonic quickly turned to the door, which Eggman had opened maybe a day ago, giving her no more heed.

Since it was probably right where Sonic and his friends all lived on earth, he knew he had some time to prepare a strike, and plan a more... fitting return. He curled his fingers in anticipation to fight his mortal enemy and rival again...

Oh, how he longed for it. A reunion... and an end.

"FOR NOW- WE WAIT, LEARN, AND GROW. BUT SOON…

WE WILL STRIKE."

Metal punched the door down, as all the junk in the room was sucked out and thrown into the vortex of space. Since Dr. Eggman had used his Rocketship to get up to the floating time capsule in the first place, Metal Sonic and his supports were now stranded without jetpacks.

Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles began to feel their feet sliding off the platform between the fallen door and the entrance into Eggman's junkyard. They tried to cling to the sides of its frame, but Metal Amy stuck her head out, tilting it farther and farther to look around.

She seemed unbothered by the predicament, more fascinated that there was another world outside the one she was just checking out previously.

Metal Sonic's engine roared and began to spin, as he lifted himself into the air, and dodged some flying metal that came at him before fire burst from below his feet. "FOLLOW ME." He gave the order, and the three's programming activated into an automatic obedience.

Metal Knuckles also shot forward with jets equipped to his feet, revealing them as he followed after his master. Metal Tails simply spun his metallic tails forward, cutting through any on-coming metal shards that tried to scrape his back. He used his jets on his feet to follow after Metal Sonic as well and still was able to fight off other flying debris that came at him and his master.

Metal Sonic seemed approving of this, as he looked to Metal Knuckles.

Feeling the need to also impress his master, Metal Knuckles immediately took the initiative and began to charge himself up. Holding his fists in, he rammed into an oncoming meteor, taking it out of Metal Sonic's flight path and completely obliterating it.

He glared to Metal Tails, who gave him a jealous look of defeat, and thus a brotherly rivalry seemed to be born.

Once again, Metal looked over his shoulder and seemingly approved of Metal Knuckles's actions. However, he didn't notice the glances the two gave one another.

Then he looked to Metal Amy-

Glaring another crimson disapproval.

Metal Amy checked her feet, which seemed to have the same system on it, as she tried to activate them. Hoping slightly on her back-heels, she waited, wanting to fly but couldn't. Only one shot on, and she stumbled to follow as metal parts started hitting her repeatedly, taking her off course from the others. Her defensive system, which was fully activated by all the hits she was taking, activated as her soft appearance then transformed.

Plated-layers of a mask zoomed and pushed together at the center over her metallic muzzle. Her dress spiraled with it's plated-layers turning upwards, revealing spikes underneath that grew in length as they proceeded down like drills poking outward. Her eyes shifted from a warm green light to a powerful red, just like the others who were already activated in their 'battle ready' stages. But because she was still incomplete, when she reached back for her hammer, expecting her back to open up and push out a hammer with a wiry-steel claw attachment to bring it up and closer towards her reaching hand for her to use, she ended up grasping air.

Unable to compute her actions further, her eyes shifted back to see what the error was before the metal kept hitting her farther out of orbit. The three watched her struggle as she was forced to flick metal pieces away with her bare hands. This began destroying them since no real amount of armor was placed on the hands from the start. Unfinished and battered, there was barely any hands left to deflect metal with...

Metal Sonic quickly dodged some parts that had ricocheted off of her with a jerk of his body to the left. He then flew further towards her, watching with angered arrogance at her uselessness.

He glared as she began to be scrapped, torn through and damaged. It was more anger towards his creation he had spent time on being ripped apart by something other than his intentions. Still... Metal Sonic stopped and watched. The other two ceased protecting once the metal all gravitated away and more towards where Metal Amy was falling too... a large asteroid field.

They looked back to see what Metal Sonic was looking at, and what he was going to do.

"Zhe zeems to bez a wazte of effozt." Like a fizzing radio, Metal Tails spoke out, speaking his mind and saying, 'She seems to be a waste of effort'.

Metal Knuckles could only make robot sounds but seemed to confer with Metal Tails.

"Zeave zer toz zhe azterozds."

'Leave her to the asteroids'.

Although programmed to give computed judgment and weigh odds, Metal mostly designed him to back up his own thinking...

But in this case... Metal looked ready to dive for her.

"… IF SONIC OBTAINS STRENGTH FROM ALL HIS FRIENDS… THEN I MUST OBTAIN A MORE PERFECT STRENGTH FROM YOU. EVEN IF IT MEANS HAVING TO EDIT AND REPROGRAM YOU UNTIL YOU ARE AS PERFECT AS I AM TO SONIC. I CANNOT FALL BACK ON MY PLAN NOW, EVEN WITH YOUR INCOMPETENCE AND INFERIORITIES. I WILL UPGRADE YOU ONCE WE ARE MORE SETTLED TO REBUILD AND MAINTAIN..."

Metal Sonic flew down and grabbed Metal Amy, yanking her over his shoulder and firing a blast toward the shuttle, vaporizing anything in his way and protecting Metal Amy from any further damage by exploding the one thing that was hitting all of them.

The nuisance had finally gotten to him, but now his power supply was running low.

As if this status activated her functions, Metal Amy blinked and looked up, putting a hand to his chest.

He stopped and looked over his shoulder, no feeling showing through his metallic frame.

"...I must recharge you." she stated, but her damaged hand only gave out light sparks that barely got the job done.

Still... it satiated him enough to know her programming wasn't completely and utterly useless after all.

Metal Amy now lost her battle reflexes since she was out of danger, and triggered her neutral form once again.

He looked at her with distaste at still having an incomplete design. Her weakness in not even being able to exit the shuttle was embarrassingly a failure, to say the least, but he saw it more as that she'll need more work done on her.

She'd be the first he'd fix, after himself,..."CEASE. HOW DARE YOU LAY AN IMPERFECTION ON YOUR CREATOR."

She responded by tilting her head again and then looking away, realizing her master wasn't very fond of her incompleteness. He swatted her battered hand away from himself and pulled her more over his shoulder.

Metal looked ahead as his two other 'teammates' followed his glance,... the universe spiraled behind them with the remains of the shuttle floating around behind them, scattered and at last, free from their storage chambers of hopeless darkness and abandonment. They fell peacefully away in the weightless space.

"OUR FIRST OBJECTIVE, LOCATE SONIC. SECOND OBJECTIVE, CREATE OPERATING FORTRESS. THIRD OBJECTIVE, FIX INFERIORITIES AND BECOME PERFECT. FOURTH PRIORITY, DESTROY SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, HIS FRIENDS, AND DR. EGGMAN. FINAL PRIORITY, DOMINATE THE ORGANIC EARTH AND ALL LIVING THINGS THAT DWELL ON IT."

They blasted forward, as Metal Amy's damaged hands and arms just waved and wiggled behind Metal Sonic... her head looked up and saw the cosmos.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Even though her programming said her being was a machine that couldn't feel,... she still computed a sense of wonder at how small she must be in a world this big…

Months had gone by as Sonic The Hedgehog continued to fight Eggman and his latest schemes. The team joined in as well, all failing to realize they were being heavily watched and analyzed on the sidelines...

Today, of all days, was when Metal Sonic had finally completed his third objective in his five-step plan, improving himself and his team of their inferiorities that were left with them from the scrapheap in space. Now for the last bit, he only needed a few things: to destroy Sonic, take over the world, and rule as it's perfect, immortal tyrant.

Metal Sonic perched himself on his throne within a massively round, elevated bridge in his control room; where computers lay everywhere and monitors showed large quantities of data flying across the multiple screens.

He processed everything at the speed of light. His red eyes tracked every movement as he scanned the walls of bluish green lit screens filled to the brim with code and data scanning across their monitors. He used his metallic, clawed hand to hold up his large blue and silver head, before lifting his other hand to stop Metal Tails from typing any further.

"We've finally gained enough data to launch an attack and destroy Sonic and his friends. Even the Doctor, himself... would never see it coming... we should destroy him first. We don't want him aiding Sonic. I know from my old programming that to save his own flesh... would decide to do so,... believing 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend' code of war." Metal Sonic recounted Eggman's multiple 'team-ups' with Sonic in the past... It made him distrust his own creator to the point where he was now labeling him as a potential enemy. 'Bitterness' wouldn't suffice to describe the sheer resentment he possessed for his original master. After being tossed like trash into the isolation of space... He had to be careful in all acts of vengeance. He had to calculate everything... everything... had to be perfect.

Now Metal Sonic had a powerful voice chip equipped to him, one that was less robotic but still had a metallic ring to it. It gave him more than just brute authority, but a deafening, flat overtone that made him menacing even to the metallic ear... Heavy oscillations with terrifying frequencies were sent throughout anyone's eardrums, but this gave him the power to wirelessly send his vocal commands to his supports, having programmed exact obedience into their voice-recognition.

"We must prepare. I have waited too long in the shadows… I must defeat Sonic now." He lowered his arms to grip at his throne's armrests, tightly chipping through the stone with the sharpened edges of his fingered claws. His metal eyelids slid down to a deeply fierce, angular glare... His hunger to make himself known unto Sonic was strong, but Metal Tails cautiously intervened.

"Master, there is another code of war…" He stated as his eyes bent down to mimic the glare upon Metal Sonic's countenance as well. "That the art of surprise is the best military tactic." He turned from his chair and got up, looking to his master. "If we are to alert Sonic of our existence, he will surely fight back with a more well-thought-out counterstrike. We should catch him off guard, without a plan; then he and his friends will be weaker to respond to-"

"Sonic doesn't plan." Metal Sonic's voice turned cold and harsh, threateningly vile as he knew he was correct. Metal Tails looked up, seeing his master stand away from his throne which was on the raised levels of three circular-platformed steps above him; They grew smaller the more one advanced up them, layered on-top of each other and pristine as royalty, just from the sight of them.

Metal slowly moved down the platform where his throne was in the center of the room, continuing to speak, "It is your other whom I have based you on that will perform the strategy... As my theory states- he is stronger with his friends. Since technology and logic prohibit me from having all their traits processed within me, I must use you and the others as my counters to his strength. With your computing functions and expert processing capabilities… you should be more than able to outsmart your counterpart."

Metal Tails looked to the ground as if he had something to prove from the insult.

"I will be impenetrable. And Sonic's friends will be rendered useless to him." Metal stopped when he reached the main screen, a large and widened rectangle, showing four diagrams that displayed spinning data models of Amy, Tails, Knuckles, and Sonic. Areas on their bodies were pointed to with stretched lines connected to charts indicating their strengths, weaknesses, and other such noted things. At different intervals, the simulations would trigger an attack style or typical battle movement, then diagrams would show possible ways of dodging said actions or exposed areas to attack.

"You should all be prepared by now..." Metal looked threateningly back at Metal Tails, having disapproved of his lack of confidence from before... "With all the data we've compiled... the simulations of attack formations you created..." he turned towards his creation, a hostile intent lingered upon his trailing eyes while his cape flickered back behind him, but Metal Tails spoke up immediately to break the tension from his disapproving glare...

"-Then… we should plan ahead of him. Even with surprise, we need to be a step ahead of my other's thinking…" Metal Tails concluded quickly and rationally as his head looked forward again, not daring to make eye contact with his master... Already having foolishly angered him by going against his original plans.

Metal Sonic lowered his head and folded his arms, seeming content with that reply.

"…Not just one step. But a thousand. I've waited too long to have all my planning and preparations destroyed by ill-thinking." His glare never ceased towards his creation, dropping his arms and moving at a curved walk passed him.

He had narrowly escaped his wrath... but a cruel reminder that he was never safe, not even for an instant, in his master's company...

"Do not disappoint me with relative thinking again. You must be smarter than not only him-" he pointed to Tails on the screen, "But the world."

Metal Tails glared down, feeling ashamed as his fists tightened and shook in rage. "I…I will not fail you again, my master." He stated, trying to show his seriousness in the matter at hand.

"…See that you do not. Or time will be wasted on editing your inferiority." Metal Sonic moved away after that threat and began to proceed back to his throne, only getting up one step of the platform before another voice echoed in the solid, metallic room.

"…The enhancements on the generators are completed, master. I must now check for adequate energy supplies within your battery." Metal Amy walked into the room, fully operational now that her design was complete and immediately took out her hands from behind her back, stretching them down to her sides as though she had remembered something important, something dangerous...

She then quickly walked up to Metal Sonic, waiting for permission to do her job, and attempting to not make unnecessary eye-contact by holding her head straight. Even with him stationed above her on the first of the three platforms, she only slightly lowered her eyes from his downward gaze... afraid of moving any further.

After staring at her for a moment, Metal outstretched his hand to her, "…Proceed."

She heard the permission given and promptly maneuvered around the large circular platform as he watched her carefully... his eyes tracking her every movement.

She took his hand, using her programming to conclude whether he needed to recharge his energy or not. She could sense his internal battery due to her being the robotic form of a medic, checking for soft hums of electrical pulses that were like a heartbeat for an organic lifeform. She scanned the information, lightly skimming her sensors that were located on her hands and fingertips up over his metallic covering to his arm, twisting to gently encircle her hand over his metal coated frame and then linger it back down to his hand. Functional; though there was no actual beating substance that sustained their mechanical existence. Moreover, it was just a vibrating that would pass her detectors in soundwaves below her touch, still strong and powerful enough to be her master's resonating and spiteful sparks.

She was- A living battery.

Or rather... she felt constantly reminded that she wasn't living, and more just a wireless charger for her master and fellow supports.

"…If it weren't for the limitations of this world, I would have no need for a battery." He seemed to say the words with annoyance. He turned his head forward and away from her, speaking indirectly; for a moment, she thought his attention had moved on from scanning her every, detailed movement and felt confident to look up and examine his expression.

What was she hoping to find?

He hated every indication of a living organism's behaviors and mannerisms. He couldn't 'growl out' the words he spoke, but only reflect them in a threatening tone…

"…Even with technology being as limited as it is. Without what we have, we'd be nothing… We couldn't even think."

Her words were too sweet for his taste. He swung his arm away from her, looking back with his eyes turned sharply in suspicion.

She strained hard to not simulate a flinch, but instead, made sure her eyes held and didn't blink in her statement. Slowly, she lowered her hands and stared back up at him, her hands positioned neatly in front of her and held together properly with no sign of a firm hold or a rough grip.

"Why do you suppose I care about what we have when my plans are bigger than the insolent devices we must work with now?" He swung his arm again, forcing her to duck away and dodge before he sliced her in two. His cape flung back with his lunge towards her, and she slowly retreated from his presence.

"I meant no disrespect… Your energy capabilities are fully charged and functional. My programming is met. G-" she was about to say 'good day', maybe 'goodbye', but knew how that would seem to 'organic' to him. She quickly shook her head, something a robot wouldn't do…

She messed up.

She revealed it.

"I shall retreat to other duties."

She bowed and walked on, worried he may have seen an error in her, slowing her steps only slightly when the doors flung open. Taking a chance, she looked over her shoulder at him.

He was still staring…

She jolted in her spot, only barely showing her simulated fear as she tried to avoid him seeing any further fault in her. She quickly continued on and left the room at a regular speed to not cause any further suspicion.

As the doors closed, Metal Tails turned from pretending to work on the computers and looked to his master. "Why did you bother with a maintenance? You are fully able to read your own battery levels and recharge when time permits. Why have you designed such a useless support?"

"…You question your master's thinking?" Metal shifted his head back, creating a streak of red with his eyes as he casually warned Metal Tails of his prying nature.

Metal Tails didn't move, but simply bowed his head. "I meant no ill-will from my comment, master. I just can't compute as to why you would create a Metal Amy... According to my research done on the team, she does nothing but added assistance. If she is around and willing, that is… What good is she to your theory? She is barely treated the same as Tails and Knuckles to Sonic. Why-"

"Why then does he keep her around?

"…My master?"

"If she is as you suggest, a waste of our supplied materials, then why does Sonic keep her within his team..?"

"…Entertainment."

Metal Tails concluded as Metal Sonic looked unamused by that theory.

"He doesn't treat her like amusement… in fact, he seems to retreat from her presence at most occurrences… if you can answer my question, do so now with an acknowledgeable reply."

"…I cannot compute."

Metal Tails admitted, as Metal Sonic seemed to mock him, as though laughing at his failure to understand.

"You must not be smarter than me, but you must think deeper and better than them." he replied.

"…Then why do you keep her around?"

Metal Tails's head moved up, his eyelids slid into an inquisitive simulation.

"Why do you convey anger, bitterness, and displeasure when you yourself condone the very action of mortal expression?"

The words were too bold and insulting for Metal Sonic's taste, as he flung forward and thrust his claw sideways into Metal Tails's eye and half his face.

As sparks flew everywhere, Metal Sonic widened his eyes in bewilderment at his creation, not at all amused or convinced that this Metal Tails will do him any good.

"…What I do is of my own reasoning and thinking… I am a better Sonic. I am a more superior intelligence than even you. If I keep her around to understand her worth in Sonic's strength… then I do so for my own purposes." he then faked a laugh, "If I stimulate an organic trait, it is for my own amusement at making fun of the organic life that is beneath me. You, on the other hand… are of the same thinking as them. So I mock you openly... as I would them... You're nothing more than their organic thinking."

He tore deeper into Metal Tails's metallic skull, but the robot's programming forced it to be unable to fight back against his own master's brutal attack.

"I obviously found purpose to her. She rejuvenates Sonic's team to keep fighting. I converted that into a working, walking battery. If you are foolish enough to question my own perfect logic, then you are more useless to me than even organic thinking..."

He pulled his hand out of Metal Tails, as Metal Tails collapsed on the ground, body twitching with cords springing around from his eye and torn apart metal-casing. Half his brain and systems were damaged, as Metal Sonic's claws could rip through any metal on this earth. Made with a special alloy he himself had mined and melted down to produce; his silver claws and frame could morph and move at his will. Electrical sparks could control the alloy's strange bending as though being melted to form whatever action was required, but still hardened to give shape and substance according to what electrical shock it recieved... it was perfect for his purposes, and expertly engineered for absolute destruction.

He held his claws out in front of him, twiddling his fingers as if to indirectly boast of their power and admire how they could rip through anything at will. The silver in them shined in the colorful lights of the monitors before he withdrew the current long length of his fingers down to adequate size…

"If Sonic keeps Amy around… then obviously, there must be a reason. Until I can compute perfectly to what that is,... I will keep my own copy. If my theory is correct, all of Sonic's friends aid him in becoming stronger than even myself… I must have a complete support, or my theory will be insufficient!" he turned quickly away from Metal Tails, his cape flipping once more dramatically behind him as he ascended up to his throne. pressed a button on his throne.

He pressed a button.

"Send maintenance to Metal Tails. Improve intelligence through any means necessary. He is…" Metal Sonic looked back to the sparking and slowly dying energy levels of a powering-down Metal Tails. Sporadic movements showed he was suffering, disconnected from his vital processors, he would be a blank mechanical ruin in moments.

"Inferior."

"I shall return once again."

The voice on the monitor made him look back toward the commutation speaker as he noticed it was Metal Amy's voice.

"…Yes,… return."

He lifted his finger off the button, before looking down at it in deep thought yet again.

"…What does Sonic need of you..?"

His eyelids lowered...

Though he had a theory,... he never stated it as fact.

Metal Tails's theory annoyed him. He knew better...

"Errored excuses."

He flipped his cape to look back at the monitor, glaring at Amy's modeled base as it turned with her arms spread out like the others, diagramming her strengths and weaknesses.

"…There must be something more to you that I haven't found… and rest assured... I will."

The doors flung open again, as Metal rotated his head slightly to see Metal Amy walk in, bending down to pick up the now completely drained of life, metallic husk that was Metal Tails.

If he had a life to begin with...

For Metal Amy knew all too well what her master would think if she even dared used that terminology...

"..What befell here?"

She asked, seeing the spikes drilled into Metal Tails's head.

But she knew.

"…Why do you ask?"

Metal Sonic moved from his spot to walk down and around her, growing curious to why she kept stepping out of her programming to ask such needless things.

"Would you like to find out?" he threatened, lifting his fingers up to show their extension before withdrawing them at her next statement.

She grew fearful but didn't let it show this time. She just froze, computing what to say back…

"I have no wish to learn of it. He must have been as you said, inferior."

She wondered what 'inferior' even was.

What made Metal Tails 'inferior'?

And how could she avoid the same fate…

"…Come here."

She froze once again.

Unable to fight her programming, she dropped Metal Tails's corpse down and walked over to Metal Sonic. She kept her eyes down, worried she may have already enraged him after clearly being upset beforehand. Was she to be destroyed and scrapped? Processed anew, As was the plan with Metal Tails…

Metal Sonic lifted his claws to her face, and gently stroked the sides of it. It was nothing more than a power-play to Metal Amy,... reminding her of the sharpness of his claws...

She tried not to watch as they scaled down to lightly streak her face with skidmarks that sang out a plea of helplessness under the sharp carving edges of his touch. The scratch marks were barely noticeable as the thin, dagger edges were triangular in design, and Metal only applied enough pressure to taunt her, nothing more...

Nothing yet.

He lowered his touch to her curves and features he- himself- had designed to match a more 'powerful and perfect' metallic Amy Rose.

"…I designed you well." He stated this as if it was almost out of love for his own handiwork, before looking back up at her and seeing that she didn't move or speak.

She simply kept her gaze down.

"…Are you unsatisfied with your creation?"

"...No."

"...then, why are you afraid?"

He forcefully grabbed her muzzled and made her look up at him, eyes squinting to detect what he suspected to already be there.

"I didn't design such fear in you… only that you follow strict obedience through voice recognition." He moved her face side-to-side, looking it over. "…It would be a shame to destroy you… After I had become certain that all your previous errors and flaws from that insufficient, storage junk-ship were purified from your being…" he looked down at her hands and picked one up more gently than he had her face.

The force on her face never wavered, and she simply held her ground.

She didn't move.

She didn't struggle from his grasp.

If he was to attack, she'd be powerless to stop him anyway... programming forbade her from even trying to compute it. Her only option was survival.

As if she had a ticking heart to protect anyway... or flowing breath to preserve.

"…I remember when your hands were destroyed…" he started to look down and fiddle tenderly with her held hand, examining once again his workmanship,... as if he could be affectionate.

She again fell silent and didn't resist him. After all, he had created her… but fear still was present within her, created or not; she hid every trace of it by shutting down her motion controls completely.

He wouldn't see her fear if she couldn't move…

"…Why are you so silent?" He lifted his eyes to her, head still down towards her held hand; showing he wasn't fond of her being so still and unresponsive.

As if he even enjoyed the company anyway... only the torture of waiting for a flaw to reveal itself.

He knew it was there... somewhere...

And he found pleasure in exposing it.

Then ripping it out.

"...Has your fear, through error, shut you down?"

"….It is no error." She finally spoke and moved her head back, but his hand forced it back into where it once was positioned. She didn't move again, "I simply came to you, and allowed your will to be done. There was no error in my fear of your…"

She gazed her eyes up at him, showing the lime green light within shine with metallic radiance. "-Superiority... I only wish to respect it by showing you I am of little importance compared to your plans. I must do my work to aid you in providing your perfection. Does my silence not show my simulated fear as loyalty to your excellence and power? My master…" she bent her head down again, as Metal Sonic looked at her with careful observation.

"…Go."

He released her with a flick of his wrist, finding her reason sound, as she quickly moved away from him.

His hand, however, was still holding her own, and he stopped her in place. "One… more thing." He stated as She froze again, waiting for further instruction that she couldn't escape from.

"…Make sure his brain is completely scrapped. I must find another way to mimic Eggman's designs and perfect them to have the ultimate strategist…"

"Your will is my labor."

"…Hmph."

He let her go again, and she quickly hustled to pick up Metal Tails's scraps again, placing him over her shoulders, and walking out.

As the doors closed, Metal Sonic chuckled and closed his eyes, rubbing his claws together to sharpen them after their little… snack.

"She cannot fool me…"

He paced himself down the remainder of the steps, back to the monitors.

"-but I enjoy her reasoning."

He lightly clicked buttons into the computer, and Amy Rose's diagrams spread throughout the whole of the screen.

"She computes well in order to appease me...The error she contains... is amusing."

He thought of what Metal Tails had spoken and closed his eyes...

"I shall let her live,…"

He then shot his eyes open to the image of the organic Amy Rose's recordings of her laughter or smiling above.

"For now…"

He moved back to the steps of his throne, lifting a leg up as Sonic would have done once sitting upon it, and returned to his former position.

He watched the recordings of Amy Rose...

Carefully...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Metal Amy dropped the cold, hard and heavy corpse of Metal Tails down on the maintenance room's table, and slowly… began tracing her hand along his head.

Feeling a sense of remorse for her fallen comrade, she lowered her eyelids and tried to relay the memories given to her. Meant for combating her counterpart when the time came, she used them very.. differently…

Amy was out picking flowers with Cream, as Tails ran up to pull Amy away, giving her instruction on another Eggman attack. Amy nodded, and bent down to Cream, telling her what had come up.

"Oh, but you mustn't go just yet, Miss Amy!"

"Chao Chao!"

"We've yet to finish our flower crown for you and Mr. Sonic! Would you like one too, Mr. Tails?"

"Chao Chao!"

"…Cream…" Amy smiled kindly to her, and patted her head. "Don't you be worried now, or even cry for that matter." She giggled, "Me, Tails, and- I'll even drag Sonic along! We'll all make flower crowns together! No one's going to get hurt, I promise!"

The kindness Amy showed had touched Metal Amy and made her wonder why it was so important to calm the child and her creature friend down. If her other was to be destroyed, why? She did no harm, she only protected…

If Metal Sonic wanted her to be formidable, even better than her counterpart, then…

Would she use Amy's good-natured heart against her?

What even was a 'Heart' anyway?

Her programming suggested it pumped blood through the system; and in so doing, beated with each breath.

But… there was another meaning… Her system's translations knew the language was figurative, but couldn't compute it; Which frustrated her dearly.

Metal Amy lightly patted Metal Tails's head, as if a downed robot could be comforted. But, perhaps, it was more for herself. How could such things be weak and inferior to common logic?

Metal Amy wanted to show kindness to her fallen comrade, which would have been a sign of weakness in Metal Sonic's eyes… an error. However, she still longed to feel like Amy did. Maybe, … by learning what a 'Heart' meant to the living organisms, she could use that against Amy to defeat her and receive praise for completing her reason of creation.

Would he scrap her once her task was done as well?

She did not know… but her reasoning calculated it would be so.

"…What are you doing?"

She tensed up, her battle form engaging as she flung herself around to whatever activated her defensive precaution. Her hammer came out a slot in her back, held by a black, double-jointed rod that lifted it up and out for her; the slot slid open and propped out the weapon in a swift movement that allowed her to grabbed it quickly from over her shoulder. She spun the hammer around her head, before holding it out to whatever spooked her. Her mouthpiece was overlayed with three shredded layers of metal forged together on two separated armor plates that slammed together shut from the sides of her face where her metallic dark pink quills covered them before they engaged. Her skirt spun to reveal the drilling-spikes under the metal coating of her dress. The plated armor twirled upward and shrunk back towards her to reveal a three-layered armor. The rest of her scary form began to mechanize, and she was fully within her attack form.

"…I simply asked about your objective." Metal Knuckles looked annoyed by her jumpiness before averting his gaze to stare down at Metal Tails. "…What befell him?"

"…He angered the master." She turned away from him, embarrassed by engaging since- that was illogical. Considering their others didn't even know they existed or where they even were...

She hoped he'd ignore it.

"…How so?"

"I cannot comply."

"I see… you didn't behold the execution." Metal Knuckles had a gruffy voice in his programming, which, frankly, intimidated Metal Amy with how 'heavy' it sounded.

"…I suspect your time will come. Your inferiority was apparent even at your creation." Metal Knuckles insulted, as he touched Metal Tails's back on the table. "..What did he instruct to be recreated this time?"

Metal Amy held back her anger at his words, her fingers curling into fist before she tried to loosen the tension. "…You insult the master by saying I was inferior. He had to work with what he could. He spent most of his efforts on you." she glared before turning sadly to Metal Tails's damaged remains... as if including him in her sentence with Metal Knuckles too. "I was constructed through the remains."

"Leftovers." Metal Knuckles glared her way, mocking her creation. "He didn't even bother giving you substance… let alone durable hands…"

She fully blared her red eyes from battle mode up at him, still within battle form… and not disengaging…

"Hmph. Answer my question. As your superior."

"..There are no ranks among us. Besides the master, you and I are just simple supports." She compared them on equal ground, which made Metal Knuckles more annoyed with her.

"I am by far more improved than you to reach the superiority and perfection of the master." He stated, and slammed his hand on Metal Tails, bending the metal slightly. "Now, answer my order, tell me what was to be remade…"

Metal Amy activated a spy system in her programming, recording the conversation now. "Why does the master's orders concern you? He gave them to me… not you. Stand down, and let me do our master's orders…" she reached to grab Metal Tails's head, to remove it and disengage any lock system it had to stay on his shoulders...

Metal Knuckles grabbed Metal Amy's hand, as she recorded the assault through her eyes, staring at every move Metal Knuckles made…

"Is the master here? No. No one can protect you, weakling! You shouldn't even have been created! You are nothing more than a servant to us three, taking care of our battle wounds while you stay back in the battle."

...Wounds?

That would imply blood.

A very organic thing to say...

She wondered... even for a moment... if he had similar thoughts to her own.

It was programming that triggered her to start recording... but now...

She almost turned off the recorder,-

"You weren't even good enough to look decent! He based you off your organic being's appearance, configuring you to be weak and insignificant after your other's inferior self! And even to Sonic, he can't stand being around her! I've seen the tapes!"

Her anger grew as the kindness she tried to replicate suddenly was paused in its processing. She was trying to secretly create her own programming at the time, but she stopped it when her rage couldn't be restrained any longer. She put all her energy into throwing the massive robot over her shoulder, spinning to slam him onto the table with Metal Tails upon it, and pinning him to it's surface.

"You think I care about my appearance? You insult the master by insulting me! He created my form and image, and you insult his handy work- not my own!" He struggled to get her off of himself, but she activated the spikes on her dress that had drill-edges which spiraled dangerously fast in whirling threats at his movements; slowly, they sparked drill holes that scraped sunken circles through his metal chest.

She lifted her knee up onto the table to whirl sparks further out to her sides, drilling farther down as the holes grew in presence and size.

She was piercing through his metal body armor, almost to his vital wires and system controls...

"I would do the same to you as to Metal Tails If it weren't for the fact that only the master can make such an order!"

"You dare give me inferiorities!?" he blasted the words out of his speaker, as they began to brawl. She was badly injured, but so was he. His head twitched and rotated sideways, unable to remain positioned properly. She hunched forward, before swiping her functioning arm up to a deadly, proving point.

"See? I can fight just as well as you!" Metal Amy declared, her one arm shot and almost ripped off, barely dangling from her core body by her left arm's hole socket where three long and thick black cords sagged with electricity sparking a jerk in them every now and then, sounding off. The rest of the cords all were ripped out through the sheer force and power Metal Knuckles had within him.

"…What is this?" Metal Sonic flew into the room, "I heard missiles." He looked to the side of the room, seeing his repair equipment was trashed and explosion marks all over the walls and floors. He glared at the destruction, before turning to his two creations. "…Someone speak."

Metal Knuckles and Metal Amy froze.

Metal Amy disengaged her recording of audio and video, and began processing them down into one video, before including her memory clip of Metal Knuckles entering the room. She made sure to cut out any traces of her reflecting on data tapes of Amy Rose… However, she had to leave in her fault of engaging battle mode, which could suggest she was afraid… and there'd be no reasonable excuse to get her out of being called out for that error in programming…

"…She launched at me. Infuriated by my superiority over her own weakness. She is full of errors. She wanted to give me inferiorities too. Behold!" Metal Knuckles pointed to his damages and then continued to lie. "I defended you and your work on my form and position. She grew jealous, an organic trait, and attacked me. She should be scrapped at once."

"…Are you giving me an order?" Metal Sonic had only glanced at Metal Amy, before turning to Metal Knuckles.

"N..No, my master."

"It sounded like a suggestion." He glared to further show his anger.

"N-no, my Master."

"You stutter, explain to me why?" he walked toward Metal Knuckles.

"I merely felt your disdain."

"Felt?"

"It is not I that you should be enraged with for destroying your tools- it should be her!" he pointed to Metal Amy, who still remained silent as her video processed and was ready to be transferred.

However… looking at Metal Tails, she wondered how many times Metal Sonic would scrap them,... tear them apart,... and reconstruct them before they were ever able to complete his fourth objective…

"…Is what he states the truth?" Metal Sonic looked to Metal Amy.

"…It is…not so." She stated, not shaking her head to reveal a trait of organic lifeforms. She wanted to try and save them both. Somehow… "I merely wished to do your will… he obstructed me for a moment by giving me a command. I didn't follow… because it was not your command to follow. I already had a task to perform, he was in my way."

"And she attacked!" Metal Knuckles blasted out, as Metal Sonic grabbed his arm and ripped it off to match Metal Amy's damages.

"Never speak in such a tone to me again… or I shall rip your speaker out and never refigure speech into your systems again. Rendering you back to your useless beta state!"

Metal Knuckles held his now empty right side with his left hand.

"…Come here." Metal Sonic motioned for Metal Amy to approach him again.

Worried about her fate, but being forced to comply, she walked forward.

He tapped on her bottom quill, that acted as Amy's bangs, but was really where a lever was to open her head up.

Her head where the top, two side quills of her hair, middle half-bridge of her eyes, headband that was a metal red stripe, and ears all together were connected to lift back and away from her 'm' shaped eyes as her upper-head disengaged lock sequence to prop open for him like a car's trunk. He peered in, using his hand to lift it further back as he noticed a chip stick out. plop!

"…Do you know that I programmed a defensive spy system into Metal Amy's programming?" Metal Sonic spoke while taking the chip out. Automatically, on the back of his other hand, a sliding panel moved away to reveal a spot to inject chips and other such devices into him.

"A-…Does not compute." Metal Knuckles couldn't even finish his sentence, realizing his error in lying to his master could have cost him his existence.

"…Yes,... odd she wouldn't mention it… as if she was trying to save you." Metal Sonic slowly lifted up his hand and showed Metal Knuckles that he was putting the chip into its proper place. "Downloading engaged."

Metal Amy suddenly realized he had seen through her thinking, and almost accidentally looked at him in shock- but remembered to remain motionless.

She did, however,... peer over at her comrade, and watched as he seemed to process every reasonable way their master could destroy him. Scrap him into another being.. as she had to endure and watch countless times with each of them.

He couldn't help but shake slightly in his lifeless bolts.

She looked away, back to the safety of the metallic ground...

Or what little safety it provided... if any at all...

"…" Metal Knuckles didn't move then, watching intently as Metal Sonic processed the recording. Metal Amy realized she was still going to be questioned, even after Metal Knuckles's was found out, so she began to compute strategies to avoid her own doomed sentence.

She still felt sorry for her brethren… he may have hated her and felt she was beneath him, but he was still a Metal Support, just like herself…

"…!" Metal Sonic let out a metallic shriek as his eyes fully shot open after viewing the whole video. "Traitor." He concluded and began ripping Metal Knuckles to shreds.

Metal Amy remained staring at the ground, hearing the noises of scrap flying everywhere, the oil spraying to the ground in front of her... shadows revealing the scene only in part below her...

She re-watched a moment of Amy crying... and vicariously lived through it... as if she wished she could escape these fates... and simulate emotion freely in her as well. Without fear. Without punishment. Without hatred.

After Metal Knuckles's head rolled to the ground- splitting into two parts- Metal Amy looked up to see Metal Sonic holding up his chest to her.

"..You could have destroyed him after informing me with the video. Why did you hold back?"

She remained silent, and looked down, before forward and away from the two images of both her oil-covered master... and her ruined brother.

"I would have been sound with your reasoning." He dropped the chest, still having the scratches and drilled mini-holes that lay in them from her and Metal Knuckles's previous squabbling. "You are disappointing me… in fact, maybe all three of you need repairs…" he slowly lifted the hand that had just let the chest fall towards her, and she peered at the clawed hand that gave her either life or death and began to speak.

"Wait..!"

"…" Metal Sonic froze, wanting to hear how'd she get out of this one. "An order..." he tilted his head, moving his clawed hand's distraction from her face. "Or suggestion..?" he narrowed his eyes, a sick and twisted way of messing with her.

Either way,... she would fall.

"…" her head was still open, and she bent it down again. Clipop!

Another chip was sticking out from where another memory slot was, and Metal Sonic looked at it and withdrew his hand.

Taking out the previous chip, he took the new one and placed the old one back in its apartment within her brain.

She moved her head up, as he injected that chip in the back of his hand, and began downloading its content.

"…You didn't want me wasting my time." He concluded, reading her thought process as she had erased the 'Amy's Kindness' factor out of it and only included how Metal Knuckles was her master's design like her, a servant to Metal Sonic's plan... and that with his destruction, Metal Sonic's plan to destroy Sonic and his friends would take longer planning now that he had to reconstruct his two supports once more.

"…I only serve your wishes,…my master." She took her good hand and bowed again.

He could see she cut out certain thoughts… but he ignored it; intrigued that her errors we're still somewhat amusing in that she had, once again, escaped death through her wit and cleverness.

"You are indeed… starting to impress me." He took out the chip and put it back in her, closing her head. "I should see how I configured your brain… and try and mimic it in the other two." He stated a praise she was surprised to hear.

She, herself, knew she would be destroyed the second he learned about her inferior weakness and fascination with her counterpart she was supposed to destroy…

She was actually fascinated with all the living things… how they survived through other means than electricity or a battery… how they sustained themselves without programming and could learn and grow by means of a living computer.

Even to how a flower could sustain itself compared to the massive galaxy surrounding it with perils upon perils far greater than itself...

But under her master's reign, these thoughts were futile, and nothing could be done to quench her curiosity and fascination with these organic things...

Suddenly, an alert system was triggered in her, and she quickly looked down to Metal Sonic's arm. "I'm detecting low-energy waves… may I check your battery capacity?"

"It's low." Metal Sonic replied, already knowing by checking himself.

"I came to find you."

She looked down.

"…I have failed."

"…You were engaged in battle. I can ignore your failure for now, as long as it doesn't happen again."

He must have come to destroy her… seeing as her system should have made him her top priority. The fact that she was in battle mode made her programming switch objectives because his energy signals weren't strong enough as they would be if he were present to fully influence her programming's way of thinking…

She realized she should have attempted to escape battle... but her processing concluded that she save herself so she could save him. Perhaps he was sparring her simply because he wanted to prolong her execution.

The realization of this made her blink her eyes open wide from their sorrowful and frightened state to then, rather quickly, look up at him. He seemed to look in each one of her eyes... having already understood that she just computed what would have happened if Metal Knuckles's hadn't betrayed him and errored.

"Come. You can help me repair and reconstruct these two worthless heaps of metal after we recharge." He looked to Metal Tails, but was technically referring to both of them.

Why wasn't he destroying her?

It was logical, Maybe... to have added help in reconstructing two destroyed robots.

But... he just saw her error again in her reaction...

Was he toying with her? Stalling for his own pleasure?

What game was he playing?

And how could she survive it?

He offered her his hand and waited to see what her programming would do.

The organic thing would be to take it, but instead, she walked by and wouldn't be fooled by his test of her errors. Her thinking was profoundly sound, and she saw through his trap, as he seemed pleased to know he wouldn't have to destroy her... yet.

He let his hand fall to her back, sliding the steel finger against her metal, a threatening reminder that she was still in dangerous waters…as she flew to the generator room with him.

She refused to react and simply flew to the generator room, as he followed close behind to study and examine her.

Metal Amy quickly ran ahead and turned everything on, engaging the doors to open within the large tube that resembled his entrapment from before on the ship.

Her battle mode disengaged, and she tried to desperately think of avoidance tactics she could use to keep her luck going...

Luck... how organic was her thinking?

Metal stared for a moment, remembering constructing this generator to give him more power sooner. He stepped up and into it as the doors closed, folding his arms, closing his eyes, and lowering his head... "Engage." He commanded.

"Programming fuel drive…" Metal Amy turned everything to full power as gentle streams of lightning came down from to top of the tube and fell all around it, hitting Metal Sonic. It was like a relaxing shower for a robot, with streams of electrical energy pulses hitting his metallic frame lightly enough to be absorbed. Metal Sonic could feel the energy circuits inside slowly regaining their power and efficiency.

If ever she was to feel useless, it was standing before this large machine that replaced her duties in every way. Why construct it when he had her? It only made her feel as though her creation was simply to fulfill the slot of Amy Rose on Metal's mock Sonic Team.

Metal then opened his eyes and turned slowly to look back towards Metal Amy, who was doing her job of making sure the system worked. However, she sensed his gaze on her.

She knew better than to ask him why he stared,… simpler to wait to be called upon for a reply than to ask questions yourself. You never knew how he would take even the most basic of questions…

"…Are you not fully charged?" he asked, tilting his head to her.

"..!?" she rose her eyebrow, narrowing her eyes but hoping at the angle he was at, he couldn't see her perplexed simulated expression, though a small sound of computer whirling did give her slightly away; but again, he was too far away and the lightning made adequate noise to drown her out anyway. The question made her wonder where he was going with this. He obviously didn't care about her measly existence as he could always scrap her and create another, more improved version to his standards of 'perfect support'. Why would he be..?

"I directly asked you a question, why do you take so long to compute a reply?" he seemed to be testing her again, or maybe he was just looking for an excuse to scrap her.

His own eyes narrowed...

Did he see her? Or was he simply trying to look through the jagged lines of electricity pouring down around his vision?

Either way, she quickly replied. "My systems indicate that that last battle has made me very ill-proficient. I'll need to repair myself after assisting you… however…" she looked away, turning her gaze.

"However… by then you will have run out of sufficient energy to help me. What does your program say for you to do?" he asked, and his cold stare lead her to fear him again.

What trickery was he devising this time?

"…I could never ask my master anything." She concluded.

"…Then your master suggests you beg." He retorted.

"…Am I to believe you are suggesting for me to ask permission to recharge with you?"

"Is that not a sound and reasonable question?" if he could smile, he most certainly would have, though it would be too organic for his taste. "Or do you see some sort of error in bathing with me?"

Bathe... she almost missed how organic it was. He was clearly taunting her at trying to avoid the inevitable.

Did that mean... did he know?

This suggested he must have thought she was acting organic even now. If she even dared show embarrassment at such a cruel joke …He would see she was truly acting like an organic being,… or even thinking like one.

"…I would be…" she thought through her words carefully,... for in a sense, she was thinking organically. This was thanks to watching Amy and being so heavily influenced by her... But she began to actually care if she lived or died.

She liked functioning, and she thought the closest thing to pain she could experience was when she malfunctioned or was torn apart.

She wanted to survive so she could understand more of what it meant to be alive.

She became curious about how 'emotions' and 'feelings' worked in living creatures... But, because she wasn't thrown off by it, she was able to recognize what was and wasn't organic, allowing her to avoid its detection and distract him from the truth of her strange obsession.

Well... at least she could try and hide most of it.

Besides, the programming she was trying to create titled, "Heart" made her feel as though it could help her compute things better. She wouldn't allow Metal Sonic to discover her secret. She had to try and conceal everything! She had to protect her findings by any means necessary!

"Honored." She stated and looked up, after quickly computing at her max-speed. "But as you see, I am inferior. My damages are an insult to your perfect frame."

He stilled stared, as lightning shot all around him, hitting him and restoring power to his being. He turned away, simulating a chuckle, something he only did to make his supports uneasy with him.

She remembered the time in space... his reaction to her hands... Even his behavior now to her reply was worrisome, as he usually didn't do such organic things…

He looked up and lowered his eyelids, tilting his head once more.

"Am I to believe you're rejecting me?"

Was this another organic thing..? He really was testing the reaches of her errors…

Which means…

He knew she was having errors.

She stepped back, eyes shaking to simulate fear she once saw before in her tapes. Her metallic eyes shifted around the console she was working at, head down. He… he knew of her errors yet… he didn't destroy her?

Why..?

She couldn't compute.

Was he doing these organic tauntings because he was planning to destroy her over a huge error? Or was this merely to joke with no one around to see him act so flawed... only to destroy her after his fun at belittling her by revealing every error she carried?

Cruel. But not illogical to pull every weakness out of your enemy... Did she just compute that he could pretend to be flawed?

But she calculated... what if she tried to be something other than... an enemy?

They were created out of Sonic's 'friends'. Why did Metal treat them so much like-?

"…Well?" he asked again, this time his eyes narrowed, tilting his head slightly at seeing how long it was taking, and already computing the different scenarios of what her mind would naturally go to. He was growing impatient...

He had created her, after all. He knew every avenue her mind would take, even the errored ones. He probably already calculated a route where she would be influenced by her many studies and observations of Sonic and his team. He knew that could be a side-effect, and blamed Eggman's AI system he was going off of for it, and not himself, naturally.

Metal Amy knew it was hopeless. He had no idea the concept of friendship. She barely understood it too.

She wondered if... maybe she could show him. She wasn't to be treated as an enemy... but an ally to her master's plans.

"Do you comply or not?" he was growing frustrated with her silence.

She looked down as if conceding to a nod, but not giving up. "Allow me to repair myself first, as not to just completely reject my inferiority and allow you near it. I shall cleanse myself of my damages and return." She never forgot that he swatted her hand away, nor would she ever allow herself too. She would do everything in her power from now on to avoid any further errors... not giving him that satisfaction, at least, when he did decide to trash her.

"By then,… my charging will be completed, and you will have failed in your task." He retorted, lifting his head. "..You didn't compute that?" he was so playing with her right now and was enjoying every minute of it.

She made him feel superior, the better, the stronger one, the wittiest of all robotic creations.

And he loved that feeling… Although, to him, it wasn't a feeling. It was just how things were meant to be.

"…Do you wish me to enter and recharge with you? In this state?" she planned her question carefully, but quicker this time. "I cannot compute at your level of superior thinking." Keeping the flattery up, she knew it was her only way of surviving this.

"…I… would look past your inferiorities… knowing that I can repair you first and then have you help me with the others later. I'll even allow you to shut down to retain your strength while I do so." He was being... nice?

No, he was being logical.

If she was able to restore her energy and then shut down to preserve it while he worked on her… then they could finish the others and restore their batteries again-

…Again?

"…Your logic is sound-"

He revved up his engine, ready to attack.

"as it should be." She finished.

His engine began to slow down, knowing she'd be smarter than that, but just in case… he wanted to think fast around her. Any sign of further error could be…

Problematic.

But was it to lure her into a trap?

She opened the doors that she had programmed to close behind her at a given time, allowing electricity to spurt out around her. Then they were shut off by the closing of the doors, trapped; just like her now.

Walking in, the electricity soothed her a bit,…

Until it hit her hurt arm.

She cringed, feeling the pain of that, and realized her fault. "…I see." She concluded. "I've errored."

Her systems began to spark with violent repercussions, and she fell to the ground.

"…I see."

She concluded.

"I've errored."

"…Yes,"

He moved around her, looking down with some twisted pleasure at her agony, her eyes twitching; not out of a simulation, but a malfunction.

"You have."

Metal Sonic was pleased to trick her.

"Or you were."

"I've forgotten to check my own faults,... that I mentioned before,... and realize that the-BBBZZZ... RE-RE-RE-recharging process would injure me further… but also heal me, as well." she had walked into an endless torture cycle. Although the generator would recharge her batteries, it would also zap the loose wires and drain her of whatever was gained, Over and over again, a recycling of pain and comfort; a painful process... Can robots feel pain?

"…'heal' you?"

She tripped up again and looked at him worriedly, having only thought about why this was happening, and not her word usage. Her "Heart" system was kicking in... but did it matter now?

She was trapped.

"… What a very…"

He lifted his claw to her face.

"Organic thing to say..."

Before he could destroy her into scrap metal, even moving up to her as if finding pleasure in tripping her up- the thrill of the kill nigh- an alert system was activated.

"…Seems we've been found." Metal Sonic took his hand away from her face, looking up at the red light that indicated something was wrong.

"The perimeter?" She concluded, shifting at the hope of survival. What little it could bring, anyway...

"Yes. The light blinks twice, meaning-" he moved a bit away from her, placing his hands on his hips and looking up, mimicking Sonic slightly… a side-effect from Eggman giving him Sonic's behaviors, something he had thought was removed from his first creation… apparently not…

"Someone could just be outside, but not know they've found us." She continued to process quickly, feeling herself getting hit and then restored by the lightning around her over and over again. She knew that if she didn't think fast, she would be killed.

Killed… another organic thing.

it was almost impossible to get those flawed 'implying life' words out of her system's vocabulary.

Why was she allowing herself to fall to the errors like this?

To allow fascination to consume her into disobeying her master? Her priorities and purpose? Her objectives?

Even... her programmed fate?

"…Why did you interrupt?" He was still upset he couldn't shred her to pieces right away, but slightly liked the companionship she provided.

At least he wasn't alone in his thoughts like before…

"To save you the wasted-" before she could say 'breath', she corrected herself. "energy." She looked up into his eyes, ducking her head down. "Forgive me. I've been studying Amy's tapes… and I have begun to do so frequently,... resulting in my speech and thinking being altered by language reception. I seem to use organic terms as slur words…"

Her explanation made him laugh, as it was a perfect excuse...

Yet again.

"Metal Amy…" he stopped his foolery of pretending to laugh like Sonic would have, mocking her as he turned his back, before shifting to face her a little more fully. "I'm intrigued by how you always seem to escape me…" his eyes narrowed, but more out of guilty pleasure than a threat. "I will find it a terribly, misfortunate day… when your 'luck' fails you." he also slurred, to show that he could understand organic lingo as well.

"…Is it luck? Or superior thinking?"

He moved a bit as if he was insulted.

He had used the word she was thinking of...

Maybe they're not so different after all..?

"The same thinking you designed me to have. If I speak like her, won't I fool her into thinking I'm something more than a robot? It could save my 'life' with her, too." Again, quick and witty thinking, as he moved closer to her, lowering a knee and hovering directly over her...

This caused her to move back and lean against the door, still worried she was pushing her 'luck'.

"…Again… you stump me into keeping you 'alive'…" he leaned forward, moving an arm on the see-through tube that kept bouncing lightning off itself, only to hit and restore Metal Sonic and Metal Amy,... but drain her later with pain.

She lifted a hand up to her arm socket to try and block the lightning from injuring her further, so she could gather her some energy back too; then, get out of this mess. "…What are you doing? Do we not need to check the alert?"

"..We do… but I have yet to fully charge… and the light has died down." he looked up, motioning for her to follow his gaze.

He had leaned his knees down, straddling her slightly as she pushed her legs back, now fully against the curve of the tube's interior.

Was he trapping her? His hand kept steady, up against her side, making it difficult to move freely even if she did restore some energy in her backup batteries.

She ended up looking up where his eyes focused too. she noticed that whatever had come into their surroundings outside, had probably wondered off.

She noticed that whatever had come into their outside radar's surroundings, probably had wandered off by now.

"…We have it recorded?"

"As all things have been done before…" he moved closer, absorbing more of the lightning and blocking most of it from hitting her.

"…Why are you blocking me from being restored?"

Could this be..?

"I just computed… maybe it's best to let you shut down?"

He moved his head up to hers, liking how being so close made their electrical absorbing feature stronger. The lightning was more concentrated now and naturally came down on them with greater intensity, being attracted to their bodies like a metal rod.

"…I don't compute." She was worried about saying that, but he seemed to like hearing that she didn't know his plans…

"You are so smart… yet so foolish… you are a contradiction."

He grabbed her hand that had been holding her arm socket.

"… I didn't design you to be this fun."

He pulled her hand away and tore the arm off.

"I'll have to repair you anyway…"He studied the arm, before tossing it to the side.

He studied the arm, before tossing it to the side.

The action had caused electricity within her to be expelled out; and now, instead of slowly enduring the small cycle of pain to restore some power, she was being drained by his close proximity absorbing everything she had left.

"You… k-k-knew if-…"

She was shutting down.

"-If I brought you in here... to this- highly electrical circuit-board designed to hit metal and restore my functions-... that by ripping your arm fully off, your own electricity would flow out and restore me sooner? Why yes… I did know, and I purposefully enacted organic mannerisms to trick you into trusting me… how'd I do?" he continued the rouse, as she slowly shut down... sliding down to the bottom of the field as he drained her dry. He moved closer and closer... watching her fade and the lights in her eyes flicker off, her speaker 'blzzt' out randomly in small, helpless noises. As her energy faded, her jolts of violent twitches died out too. while the machine slowly died down as well. It was programmed to turn off if Metal Sonic was fully healed, not Metal Amy.

The machine began to slowly die down after detecting Metal Sonic's energy levels were almost complete, programmed to shut off when his batteries reached their full capacity- not Metal Amy's.

He slid down with her, crouching down even lower and only slightly catching her to continue speaking and making sure she heard everything...

It was so pleasurable... feeling her own power giving him adequate strength... and watching her go limp under his supreme wit and power...

"…Don't be disappointed. My thinking was rather sound. You would have been extremely impressive to have computed to that high a level." He loomed over her, before bending down and touching her face, seeing her go limp and her eyes finally fade from their green light to an empty grey.

"But I hate having to wait so long to restore my functions… and you make things go by… so... much more proficiently..." he touched the metal frame of his head to hers, as it increased how much electricity he was taking from her through touch.

The struggling sparks of her own remaining electricity zapped at him in bites, but all he could sense were the electrical transfers of absorbing the playful tingles that excited his engines to reeve at a slight hum. However, he was careful to not lose any energy in wanting this to last longer, he had other plans...

And she wasn't going to be around much longer anyway…

"Besides… I have to check the security breach. Your assistance to my maintenance was most helpful…" he leaned into her ear where her hearing compartments lay, and little black holes showed speaker receptors within the bottom of her fake, metal ears. They were designed to take in sound waves, and she caught every cruel word of his metallic sounding. "I was going to destroy you three anyway. I needed to improve you for battle… my patience in waiting has run dry… Metal Tails just helped me pick a day… along with Metal Knuckles… and now… you too." He was going to try and improve himself too, but he didn't say anything regarding that. To him, he needed to be utterly perfect, and right now, he was only superior to these three.

He rolled his metallic frame over her face... feeling the electricity quickly feeding him to more and more power.

He wasn't going to brutally destroy his-... pretty creation... as he had the other two.

No... he wasn't in the least bit merciful, but he did like to change things up a bit...

Add something to spruce up his dull existence as he waited around for the opportune moment to attack Sonic and his friends- to truly set his plans in motion... and test out his latest,.. greatest theory!

She had survived all three rounds... he might as well make her sacrifice worth it.

He needed perfection when he faced Sonic again, which is why he was even bothering with these three supports. He had to win this time… HE MUST.

Metal had picked up Metal Amy's now completely drained of power shell, lifting her over his shoulder, and entering back into his control bridge.

"Now… who disturbed me.." he seemed upset by the disturbance, as he wanted to play around and torture Metal Amy a bit longer...

Because of it... he had to rush. And that angered him greatly...

Finally coming to the bridge, he quickly clicked some buttons on the main control panel.

Upset by his play being cut-short, he noticed the records had a little flicky moving by the screen. It grazed for loose worms or seeds on the ground, before rushing off.

"…Speaking of... 'luck'..." he dropped Metal Amy to the cold, stainless floor, flying out the exit hatch above.

…The flicky didn't stand a chance…

-Back in the repair room-

Metal Sonic first worked on himself, moving over and programming things into the new devices that bore a similar appearance to that on the old junk-ship. He had recreated the crane-like bodies that fell from the ship's once standing ceilings, tools reconstructed to their builds, and had already designed his new and improved appearance.

He hooked himself up to the wall that hung him like before, but this time, to be repaired and modified.

"With this… Sonic will know the superior being…"

He didn't even bother shutting down as the robots ripped into him, tearing him apart, dissecting his framework and circuit boards, remaking his entire being.

All the while his eyes shone red...

Flickering at every ounce of sparked pain a normal organic lifeform would have winced or cried out in agony from...

His glare deepened with each inflicting torture on his metal hide.

He simulated a dark laugh of insane pleasure.

(Again, this won't be completed until after Instincts is done. ;) Hope you enjoyed the first chapter though! :DDD EDITED: I'm working on editing this story for a season 2. Stay tuned~"Do not disappoint me with relative thinking again. You must be smarter than not only him-" he pointed to Tails on the screen, "But the world." - Metal Sonic. Timone: "When the world turns it back on you, you turn your back on the world!" )


	2. Chapter 2

Metallic Need

Ch. 2

By: Cutegirlmayra (-reads the last chapter, seeing Metal Sonic be hardcore and let the robots tear into him while he's still able to feel the pain- He's so.. cool! Lol, I love how dark and evil he is, but at the same time, I love how feeling and kind, but clever, Metal Amy is… ugh, I can't wait to really kick this story into gear. Which reminds me~ Let the next chapter begin! :D –note: I actually had to rewrite the beginning -_-; I had another idea that was just NOT WHAT I WANTED, so it's all better and more to my liking now! :D I was gonna show Metal Sonic constructing Metal Amy again, but I'll save those details of her new 'features' later~)

Metal Sonic was now completed. His head twitched and slowly rolled on its neck's stabilizing ball for balance. At last, he could twitch his hands and experience his new body.

The computers had downloaded a higher functioning computer, allowing a greater capacity for knowledge storing and quick calculating into his datacore. His laughter ceased before starting up again, his receptor shining with a voice that was more like Sonic's, but darker… more robotic with its metallic vibration.

"Perfect… I can feel the perfection… I can finally take on Sonic!!" he ripped his being from the cords and other mechanical devices that were holding him up during that torturous editing phase, dropping hard with a 'Clank' to the ground, and holding up his arm to examine his new being. He looked more like Sonic, less like his classic look and maybe even a little bit like what he resembled back before he was destroyed by Team Sonic. He looked to the side of him, seeing a cape, and his receptor moved at an angle to resemble somewhat of a smirk.

His whole body seemed more and more organic… was he simply trying to be more like a perfect robotic Sonic? It was a mystery…

Metal Sonic placed his cape on, and turned to the other three, broken down and ripped apart by his previous rage or tauntings; as was the case with Metal Amy...

His red eyes scanned them in the darkness of the repair room before looking to his right, seeing Metal Amy's body already positioned on the ground near where he was repaired. Losing his simulated grin, he walked over to her and bent down, picking her up and looking at her. "…What to do with you…" he traced his silvery claw over her face, and scratched it up again, causing a large shrieking sound like chalk to a chalkboard to resonate through the room.

"Hahaha!" he laughed, throwing her on the table. "I will enjoy remaking you..."

-Many hours later-

Sonic and the gang began to make their way back from a previous 'we saved the world' adventure as Tails hopped up in front of Sonic, looking overjoyed, "And remember when Knuckles took out that power line to save me? I thought for sure I was gonna die!"

Sonic laughed, "Yeah, you gave us all quite a scare there, Tails." He grinned, as Knuckles tilted his head with a proud smile.

"Well, I tend to show up when I'm most needed. As that's how a true hero works." He raised a hand, gloating and mocking Sonic slightly.

Sonic looked back to him with a sly expression, throwing some mischief back at Knuckles, "You trying to say something, Knuckles? Cause last I checked, you were pretty lucky I showed up early when Eggman sent in that Annihilatorbot."

"..Hmph." Knuckles looked away and grumbled to himself as the team all laughed, seeing as Sonic had gotten the better of him on that one.

"Haha!" Sonic laughed at his own comeback too, before…

"Sonic! Tails! Knuckles!"

Sonic and the gang stopped a moment and turned around to look behind them at the familiar voice.

Tails smiled, "Amy!".

She ran up and hugged the first person closest to her, which was Knuckles, who awkwardly took the hug with a friendly laugh and smile. He patted her back lightly as she moved on to pounce at an unexpecting Tails, who lost his balance for a second before regaining it again.

"Wo-woah! Haha, nice to see you too, Amy." He kindly responded, and let her go so she could embrace the REAL person she wanted to hug. Not disregarding her love of her friends, but the two understood who Amy's true affections were meant for.

"Sooniiiicc!" She endearingly lunged.

Fliap!

"Can't we just settle for a friendly handshake?"

"OHHH! SOOONIIICCC!"

Knuckles and Tails awkwardly laughed as Sonic had quickly smacked his hand right on the front of Amy's face before she was able to tackle him with her signature killer death-hug of 'love'. Not that it hurt or anything, only that he blocked her from squeezing his breath right out of him, calling it a hug.

Now Amy was whining and swinging her arms about, bouncing her feet up and down and trying to push against his hand, hoping he would quit being mean and just drop his hand already to let her greet him the only way she knew how to.

"I just wanted to show you how happy I am that you all are back safely! Ohh!" she reached forward, trying to still get a good grip to maybe wrap her arms around him and pull her to him, even with his hand in the way…

"Stop keeping me from your heart!"

Sonic sighed, putting his other free hand on his side, moving his head down and shaking it as he still held her back. "Just so weird…"

Above the happy reunion, Metal and his newly reconstructed team hid in the darkness of shadows that lay behind the trees in the forest to the side and ahead of them.

"…Do we attack now?" Metal Tails looked to his master, "My predictions indicate that with their heart-rates all calmed-that if we act now, we can scare them into losing focus and attack them directly."

"…Through surprise?" Metal Sonic gave back a cold stare at Metal Tails, showing his red eyes through all the darkness of shadows around them.

"…If that is what you wish." Metal Tails, remembering his past existence, looked on and didn't speak further.

Metal Sonic turned his harsh stare forward again, his whole being itching for action… to take down Sonic … once … and for all.

"Metal Knuckles, to the left. Metal Tails, to the right. Take out your counterparts… keep them at bay whilst I deal with Sonic.." the two nodded beside him and took off, as Metal Amy, who was bent down on one knee behind him, looked down and wondered if he would disregard her as though she wasn't worth giving an order too…

"…Metal Amy," Metal Sonic glared forward, not even bothering to look behind him and acknowledge her presence any further than her name.

"..!" Her eyelids lifted with the rise of her head at being addressed so suddenly, especially since she thought she would be left behind without so much as a word given to her.

She, at first, was surprised to hear herself called on, but quickly turned to a serious tone as she wanted to slightly prove herself and her worth to him. "Yes? My master?" she grew almost excited, stepping onto one foot, ready for action, but innocently inquiring in her shock that he would include her.

She glared forward, already in battle form, as she waited for a command.

"…Remain here unless programmed to act otherwise,… understood?"

She felt a bit of gloom come over her, her ready arms lowering down with her heavy metal eyes, realizing she wasn't going to be allowed to fight. She was probably only there to repair damages quickly, then retreat back into hiding...

"But…Master, I-"

"Do you understand your command?"

He quickly spun his head around, looking over his shoulder to give her a deeply profound glare that showed he wasn't going to tolerate her messing up his long-awaited plan to attack and destroy Sonic.

"…Yes, Master…"

She turned her head down and further away from his threatening red glow within his unfeeling and uncaring eyes, saddened by his command, although programming forced her into strict obedience. She felt hopeless. She hadn't lost her memory, even with her new upgrades, but that meant she didn't know what he had removed or done to her… her heart program she had laboriously struggled to conceal and continue working on... she dared not ask in fear of angering him.

Even that 'but' could have been a death sentence; however, the only thing she was certain of was that Metal Sonic wasn't going to bother wasting his time scolding or punishing her.

At least… to him, she was the ultimate counterpart to Amy Rose now… He had stated before they departed that they were fully completed-the perfect support-and how he can do no more to improve them.

However…

Metal Amy- no,... Even her brothern could see that he still felt he was superior to them, and that they were not 'perfect' like he believed himself to be.

He would never make them his 'perfect' creations…

He prided himself too much on his own power and ability; he would never let them surpass him.

Metal Sonic's engine flared on as the three supports engaged theirs as well.

Sonic and the team looked around, wondering what the loud engine sounds were, as they each quieted down. Only Metal Amy could hear the soft hum of Metal Sonic's intense, rapidly speeding mini-turbine begin to charge and wait again for a good strike.

Metal Sonic wouldn't be able to wait much longer…

"What was that?" Tails stated.

Metal Sonic's eyes flashed open as he saw his opportunity. He sped out and raised his metal claw, but Sonic reflexed and dodged only a second before Metal Sonic could dispose of his greatest enemy…

"Woah! It… it can't be!" In his dodge, Sonic had rolled on the ground to the side, turning around while twisting his body up to see Metal Sonic. A cold look was on Metal Sonic's face as he dug his slick silver claws out of the ground they pierced so cleanly through…

His red eyes streaked to the side to look upon his true creation's purpose...

"…Hello again… the mortal bane to my existence…" Metal Sonic slashed through the air towards Sonic but didn't dash after him, seeming only to threaten. His cape moved in the wind as Sonic was stunned to see him for a moment after backflipping from his feinted-strike. The others slowly backed away, not sure what was conspiring here.

"Heh, someone woke up cranky." Sonic grinned, "But I have to admit… you sure look cooler than before." He rotated his shoulder, trying to get any unnecessary cricks out of it before he fought again. "My compliments to Eggman for catching my stylistic complexion~" He struck a pose, putting his hand under his chin and stretching his thumb and forefinger out.

"Hmph, I was tossed aside as space garbage by Eggman… no… I am perfected in my OWN image, Sonic… You are the inferior one…" he moved his hands out in front of him as if showing off his perfect state, and then glared once more to Sonic's cocky and relaxed expression, moving back into a striking pose.

"Heh, well, we'll see about that, bolts." Sonic also took the same stance, as it was his natural behavior; though, This was something Metal Sonic already had studied and known, down to his very core. He may have hated the future changes, but he still took Sonic's older and more modern appearance and incorporated it into his own, studying Sonic's new habits and battle style to be apart of his programming now as well.

But of course,… perfecting it.

"Attack!" Metal Sonic ordered out, as he went for another slash at Sonic. He extended his metal claws to a longer length and sped after Sonic when he dodged him yet again.

Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails sprang out of hiding like mobile missles, aimed, armed, and ready as Metal Tails threw bombs and smokescreen to hide their presence.

Metal Knuckles dug into the ground, enacting the strategy they had forged to rid them of their counterparts and stop them from coming to Sonic's aid.

their primary purpose... Metal Amy began to realize how they were simply created for distraction and, sadly, possible fodder for Metal Sonic to seek his perfect revenge.

The gang coughed while Knuckles stopped a moment to look around, "I can't see through this darn fog!"

Tails put his arm over his mouth, flying up and spinning around to make the fog disappear, his tails a blur as he used them as fans to whosh the air clean around them. But once some sight was restored, Metal Tails flew out of the obscurity and slammed into Tails, pushing him down and then spinning himself around to almost saw into him with his twin propellers; They had the normal foxtail design, but could collapse on themselves and give off a razor edge, looking like two blades on the front of a plane…

"Ack!" Tails was flung back, getting really scraped up from trying to dodge that with his bare arms. "What are these things?!" he saw Metal Tails's silhouette in the smoky shadows... Metal Tails refigured his twin tails to look big and natural again, only metallic, and walked out of the smoke.

His blue eyes stared down, almost with high annoyance and disappointment towards his counterpart; Being able to manipulate his eye color, he only did this to imitate Tails's organicness.

"You are supposed to be my creation's inspiration?" he spat out in absolute hate for him, then tilted his head and did a very organic thing to infuriate Tails with his haughtiness. "Heh, don't make me laugh!" he placed his hands on his hips, unyielding in his mocking of him. Tails grew upset by his insult and charged him, touching a watch hidden under his glove which sent out an electrical current around his body.

This surprised Metal Tails as Tails had never done a tactic like this before on their records of him. He rammed into him, their arms on the others. Their heads were pushed right up in front of each other, though there was an untouched gap between them during the heat of battle. Both were sorely angered as they tried to overthrow the other in a deadly wrestling match of sorts.

The electrical shield around Tails was short-circuiting his metal counterpart's body; little sparks started to fly out of him, only making the two's strain show harder on their fixed, aggressive faces.

"Impossible! You've never used this move before…" he strained to keep his body's power on his feet and upper body, to make sure he pushed Tails back.

Tails smiled, even through the strain of pushing against a metal him. "I never had to fight hand-to-hand combat with a robotic me before!" he then took one of his tails and reached back to pull out a wrench, and while distracting his metal counterpart, loosened a screw on his leg which caused his balance to fail him on one side.

Tails saw his chance and threw back his metal copy on that bad leg, then grabbed his wrench to hit Metal Tails's head, denting it slightly. Metal Tails fizzed from finally getting away from the circular electrical shield around Tails's frame, sparking and shaking in his malfunctions from the hit having damaged circuit boards.

"This…bzz… does not compute… How was I…bzz.. not prepared?" The short-circuiting was quickly being repaired, now that their bodies weren't right up against each other, as Tails cockily spun his wrench in one hand and then posed for another attack.

"You can never beat an original mastermind!" he leaped forward, his wrench being held in two hands over his head now, as he slammed it down on his other who was stumbling back and trying to stay upright.

Gripping his clearly damaged head with both metallic hands, Metal Tails's anger grew. He dipped his head down...

"Grr…Metal Amy!" Metal Tails cried out as Tails was about to keep hitting him back before Metal Tails grabbed the wrench and held it with shaking restrain from coming down on him. Metal bent and rended with a horrible, shrill creaking under both pressures. Metal Tails felt the yellow electrical current around Tails inching closer and closer as he tried to fight him off at a distance.

"Huh? Metal Amy?" Tails blinked in surprise at him. Metal Amy shot out from behind Metal Tails, who bent his head down so she could knee Tails in the face, flying over her metal comrade before grabbing Metal Tails from below. She spun herself down from his shoulder and turned herself to the front of him, quickly beginning to repair his leg, then charging his battery through a black slate on her palm that instantly sent soothing electrical power through him as he hurried back up and charged Tails once again. Spinning his tails at him again, he whacked the watch where the current was and snapped the band off the wrist. "Ah! Shoot!" Tails saw his only defense gone as Metal Tails glared in pleasure and punched him down.

"Metal Amy!"

Metal Amy looked to see Metal Knuckles in a huge brawl with Knuckles. After hiding underground and then jumping out to grab him around his leg with his arms and some of his upper torso, the two were punching and scratching each others' faces up with their two front claws on their knuckles, completely denting Metal Knuckles; enraging and tiring them out as well.

Metal Amy dashed over, pulling out her hammer from her back and knocking Metal Knuckles away, removing a huge dent that left him unable to process sight in one eye.

After only doing a minor touch up, Knuckles came swinging at her, but Metal Knuckles intercepted by swinging his arm out to push Metal Amy away and attack him again, punching him back farther as Metal Amy retreated behind him. She placed a hand on his back and slid back the black slate on her hand to charge his battery while he fought off 'the organic' Knuckles.

"Return to your ordered position." Metal Knuckles instructed, dealing a good uppercut that flew Knuckles away and had him bouncing a bit on the ground from impact. He then charged at him to continue out the beat down once he had addressed Metal Amy.

Metal Amy nodded and began to hover back to her position at the edge of the woods; however, her counterpart surprised her and stepped out from the side, sliding a bit as she did so since she was running to intercept her. She held out her hammer towards her.

She was huffing and puffing, as if catching up to her metal-self was a great effort for her. Metal Amy realized how fast she really was compared to her organic inspiration…

They stared at each other for a while... the smoke clearing completely. Then Amy Rose looked over Metal Amy's shoulder and gasped slightly at seeing Knuckles and Tails getting thrashed down by their metal counterparts.

She glared and clenched her teeth toward Metal Amy.

"I don't appreciate how pretty you look! Nor how you didn't first attack me instead of helping your friends out! Hmph, what am I? Your second priority?"

This strange response left Metal Amy confused. She didn't quite understand the compliment or the insult Amy had spoken.

"…I have my orders."

Was all she could think to say. She secretly admired Amy,... her courage in stepping in and wanting to fight her other like her friends who were combating their metal-selves, and wanting to defend them too. In that sense... they weren't much different. Maybe... equals? Though, Metal Sonic would never approve of such thinking...

But alas, she would soon have to destroy her. Considering Metal Sonic's command to do so was forced into her obedience programming, but at least she couldn't attack Amy unless attacked first. Her first priority in her programming, which Metal Sonic said to act on anyway, was to ensure the proficiency of her Metal brothern- but mostly her master, Metal Sonic.

She wasn't even considered defense to them…

Metal Amy could of sworn she felt something like a pang of indifference from them, of still being seen as unwanted or useless.

Again, she felt isolated in her cold, metal shell.

"Well, forget orders! I don't take hurting my friends likely!" Amy spat out, ready to fight as she swung her hammer to show she wanted too. "I'm not afraid of you!"

"…I know." Metal Amy's expression turned to one of slight agony. She didn't want to hurt Amy Rose… she wanted to learn from her, to understand her way of thinking and reasoning… to learn about… her 'heart'.

"But I cannot attack you."

"…Huh? Why not?" Amy suddenly lost her fighting spirit as she held a more gentler look of curiosity. "Are you different from the others? Like… you don't want to fight?"

"It's not… entirely that." Metal Amy looked away from her, slightly stepping back as she allowed herself to be organic. Her programming for 'feelings' still wasn't completed yet, and only now did she realize that Metal knew about it. She had lost all its data she had collected for it when Metal Sonic deleted it as an 'error' in her.

He must have. Of course, he did. Why wouldn't he?

But he kept her memories…so she still knew who she was and what her wishes and intentions were.

"…My priority is not to destroy you."

Amy lowered her hammer, but still held it by her side, just in case this was a trick.

Metal Amy placed her hand up to her chest, and closed her eyes, simulating emotion that Amy once demonstrated in one of her data tapes of her behavior.

"I am created to serve and be of aid or maintenance to my brothern and master. I only wish to be of use… I feel so obsolete. Like you and I-…" She turned to look up at Amy, sorrowfully, "-have no purpose… but are nothing more than inferiorities scrapped together with no real meaning to our creation… Tell me." She suddenly grew slightly serious, bending her eyelids down to show her determination and desperation at hearing this reply to her question- no, demand. "What use are you to Sonic? What is your role in his team? How do you aid him?" she pushed her hand down as the soft creaking of her metal arm obeyed and swung with clanking swift into place beside her. No games... she wanted to know more than anything what Amy Rose knew that she didn't. What was missing in her design that Amy Rose sustained in her organic makeup?

Amy was taken aback by the sudden question and looked down. "W-well I…" she smiled, thinking up an answer and looked back to Metal Amy, "I'm his friend." She happily stated.

"..A … friend? I do not compute." Metal Amy looked confused but wanted so badly to understand Amy's words. "It's too organic, I cannot compute!" she shook her head, her programming wasn't allowing her to think and process it through because Metal Sonic didn't want them to have errors, so Metal Amy wasn't able to try and determine the meaning of 'friend'. She gripped her head in frustration. Was it Metal Sonic who was limiting them from their true, full potential? Such thought was blasphemy, and she deleted the idea or memory of it at once.

Even daring to speak to her other on these terms... she was risking a lot if Metal Sonic ever found this scene in her memory files.

"Woah! Calm down! Let me explain…" Amy saw something gentle and cute in her other self and moved her hands out in front of her to try and calm her down. She walked over to her slowly,… "What I mean is… I bring a smile to Sonic's face. He might not show it all the time… but he really does care about me, and I him." She stopped her advance when Metal Amy rose her head, still gripping it tightly with what looked like an expression of fixed agony; not able to process 'caring' or 'smile'.

"Does not compute,… does not compute…" If she could cry, she would have, but her metallic green eyes shined and shook in her eye sockets.

Was she destined to never understand?

Screens of data flashed up in blue boxes over her eyes, warning her of developing errors that could occur from processing this data as she quickly shut that off, seeing as it was also locating weak points on Amy's stance, and showing how to attack her efficiently.

"You still don't understand? Oh.." Amy pulled back, bending her ears down and not sure how else to explain it. "I'm like… his motivation! I bring hope to my friends and encourage them from afar! I'm more than just added help, I'm one in a million! I'm the heart of the team!" she cheered, jumping and letting her hand fly up and her leg lift high behind her in her decent, showing her enthusiasm at the significant role she played for her friends.

Metal Amy's eyes shot open wide, "…'Heart'…" Her programming was thrown over into chaos by her processing all her past life's theories about the heart. Her curiosity in it... all her old data she could remember and recreate...

She slowly let her hands fall from her head.

...DOWNLOADING 'HEART' PROGRAM INSTALLMENT….

…RECOVERING FILE…..

Metal Amy had found and restarted her old data's processing programming which she had constructed in her mind's computer; once again, from scratch. It began downloading Amy's tapes and observations of her behavior into itself, along with everything she researched about organic and living things, their daily life, and emotions content.

"…Of course…" Metal Amy looked down at her hand, having a rectangular black slate to conduct and give her metallic… friends?... energy from.

"..But to have a 'heart'… you must have emotions…" Metal Amy closed her eyes and shook her shoulders. Having seen Cream cry before, she tried to imitate that emotion.

"But I have no such thing… nor the ability to ever have such a thing. As for a 'heart' or emotions… if that's what it takes to feel real... then... I am… dead."

Amy looked to her metal self with a heart full of love and pity. She wanted to somehow help her… having had some experience with robots who didn't want to be bad before, like Omega.

"It's strange… Eggman spends his whole life trying to create robots to do people things… but he doesn't realize that with that, comes a heart, which is the most strongest thing in existence! Anyone can have a heart! Even you!"

Metal Amy flipped her head up in shock, coming slowly out of dispair and into shock. The strongest... in existence? What about outside of what exists? Or does Metal Amy fit into that realm? No one had ever said that to her before, and it took hold of her mind in a powerful way.

She slowly rose her shaking eyes to Amy. "..Amy Rose… you believe I could create this 'heart'… by which you speak?" She was amazed, her other didn't hold hate for her, and didn't want to destroy her,… she wanted to… help her?

"But if what you say is true… I am still inferior… I have no purpose for my master's plan.. I am… useless." She lowered her head, but stopped the simulated expression of sorrow and crying. "And besides, it is illogical to suggest that feelings make one stronger. They are obviously inferior, as they distract from simple processing and reasoning." Metal Amy responded, acting a little more like a robot again.

Though, she wondered if she truly meant that.

"That's not true!" Amy stated and stopped her reasoning with a mighty stomp of her foot. She released her hand, her hammer disappearing in a cloud of smoke, trusting this other metallic clone of herself to not attack her as she spoke out against her disheartening words. "So, you're not evil. That's great! You might not be able to help in Metal Sonic's plans… but you can always gain a heart through learning more about yourself and with your friends! You could live with us. We'll take care of you!" Amy chimed, tilting her head and showing a friendly smile. "I'll be your friend! Then, you can see what a 'friend' really means! But just stop hurting Sonic and the others… okay?"

"…You… my enemy will be my… friend?" Metal Amy was confused, hearing her say such things. "How can a weakness be a strength?" she asked, completely ignoring her offer as her programming could not even fathom betraying Metal Sonic.

"Huh? W-well… Our feelings can give us power through hope, and energy through love and kindness. Courage is born from the heart! Especially when your fighting for those you love. You're sad they're in danger… but the wish to keep them alive makes you stronger, and at the same time, makes you weaker.. because you realize you could lose them if you fail." Amy started explaining, holding her hands together and up to her chest. "I guess,… it makes you fight harder… because you don't want that outcome to happen. You have faith, and faith is truly believing you can make the impossible, possible." Amy smiled, nodding her head and looking up, as if agreeing with how she explained it and looked happily back to Metal Amy, hoping she could 'compute' at least that too.

"…Faith…" Metal Amy studied the word, and quickly put this memory tape safely to the side in the 'heart' software she was developing again. "I will remember those words." She bowed her head, saving the videotape of Amy's interaction with her. She had shown respect for Amy Rose, which would have ended her life if Metal Knuckles or Metal Tails had seen this act. Luckily, they were prioritizing the battle at hand and didn't bother focusing on background distractions.

Suddenly, an alert system was activated in Metal Amy. Her eyes shot open to reveal screens that were turning off automatically. They reappeared again, against her will this time, showing the data status of Metal Sonic in critical condition; his battery failing him.

"I must go!" She simulated a panicked voice, although her face looked determined and ready to kill if necessary, so the two didn't seem to make the right impression. Because her body was programmed to act one way, but her mind wanted to act another way, it created a strange incohesiveness. "Farewell,… and when we meet again-" She tried to go against programming and waited a little longer to address her original.

"…I will have to destroy you."

Metal Amy blasted off, unable to hold herself back any further. Seeing the location on her eye-screens of where Metal Sonic was located, she strictly followed her coding.

Sonic and Metal Sonic were in the heat of battle when she stopped flying swiftly to them and looked down, waiting for an opening…

None. Their movements were too fast and concise. She would have to make one…

She had previously removed her hammer by placing it up and over her shoulder. With it having been directly behind her back, it activated a claw system that sprung from a panel on her back that split apart to have the claw grab the hammer and withdraw it back inside, sliding shut.

But now she needed it again because she knew she had to fight.

She reached back and the hammer popped out again through the claw moving it out for her to reach, allowing her to grab it without having to dislocate her hand to do so. She sped down, spooking Sonic as he skillfully dodged her charge and swing.

Having a moment to act due to Sonic's surprise, she rushed to Metal Sonic and defended him, placing her hand near his head to recharge him as she glared at Sonic.

"Woah! An Amy one too!?" Sonic cried out, still surprised to see Metal Sonic would actually make another robot like 'himself' in a sense. "What? Did you get lonely?"

"Si…Silence." Metal Sonic grabbed Metal Amy's hand and pushed it on his head with even greater force, holding it steady and absorbing her batteries. She was programmed to have an increased supply...

However...

He was taking too much of her own battery supply, and she began feeling her systems weakening. First, her engine died down, then her stance bent forward slightly, and lastly, her pinkish steel eyelids drooped.

"Repair me." Metal Sonic ordered, getting up from his knees now that he had more power in him.

She quickly went to work, as Sonic folded his arms and huffed, "Repair me? Where's the please? Geez, you don't even treat your own friends well." Sonic suddenly thought back to how HE treated Amy beforehand… and felt a twinge of remorse…

"…Fool." Metal Sonic lowered his volume on his voice, so only Metal Amy could hear him. "He allows me to repair myself? How cocky can he be!?"

Metal Sonic's anger for Sonic was almost frightening to Metal Amy, as she actually was having strong feelings of admiration for her other…

She knew of his anger in its entirety, but seeing it with Sonic present... feeding it on... she never knew such hatred and rage could exist within an unorganic thing. Was this his perfection? Perfect animosity?

As his eyes narrowed in intensity, the red blazing in them, she didn't realize how distracted she looked...

Suddenly, Metal Sonic glared down at Metal Amy, who was trying to fix him up quickly before he noticed.

With the last scrap of battery she had left in her, she worked; taking note that his cape was ripped, and his body, not only dented but was sparking with loose wires. He was just horribly damaged, having been beaten up more than she thought she could help.

Still... she had to try.

Not for the fact that he was her master, but simply to survive him.

"Why were you not here sooner?"

The question made her freeze, hesitating on repairs slightly as she tried to come up with a clever excuse.

Metal Sonic didn't have time to rebuild her, so scrapping her would have to wait till a more, opportune moment… but still, she wanted to avoid his wrath as much as possible. He could just beat her up and have Metal Knuckles or Metal Tails repair her instead of fully destroying her, that seemed more plausible to her thinking….

But Metal Sonic was almost unpredictable in his processing… she already felt his anger was too organic for his 'perfection' he kept going on about, but she wouldn't DARE let him know of any errors she may see in him.

And he let her live with hers before… maybe mercy was just another form of torture to him?

"I was momentarily detained." She responded, making sure not to hesitate so he wouldn't see a reason to question her. "I had to do maintenance on Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails,… then my other engaged me." She had to be honest, just in case, he checked her memory or spy recording system… but she didn't engage it, which would be a good cover up if she mentioned Amy Rose and her didn't fight, but not fighting her other? He would be confused and suspicion would heighten.

Hopefully, that would give him sound reason to assume no suspicion of her or her actions.

"…Very well." Metal Sonic looked away from her, as Sonic stretched and didn't seem to care about Metal Sonic taking a 'pit stop' as he stretched out his legs and then ran in place for a moment.

He didn't question her further? He must be too distracted by Sonic so visible present here.

"Hey, you done yet, scrap brain?" Sonic called to him, ready and itching to go again. "Come on! You might have forever, but I'm growing old here!" he rotated his shoulder, grinning in confidence.

A deep metallic growl was heard from Metal Sonic, as his engine flared, operational once again. "Move." He commanded, but before Metal Amy could respond with the action, he threw her to the side and out of his way, charging right back into the fray with Sonic again.

Metal Amy shook her head, and held her hand up to it. She jolted at realizing Metal Sonic might see her organic action and got up quickly, standing still like a robot. She looked to see him completely focused on killing Sonic, and in her moment of slight relief, simulated a sigh that she once saw Amy do.

She was being too risky, however. Now that she remembered her 'heart' software and what she had programmed before into it; and still processing it to somehow, literally, develop a 'heart' system in her; she knew she had to keep it contained and not activate it so much. It was happening so fast, that it was almost without consent.

She wished she could have a system to stop it and give her a warning whenever she was going to activate an organic reaction to her outward appearance, but Metal Sonic could detect that if he wanted to edit her and search for why she installed it.

No… best she hid it away. At the moment, he didn't see her as erroring, even if she was actually trying to attempt to develop an 'error system' in herself. To him, emotions, organicness, anything like the definition of a 'heart' to him was an error and weak. Inferior in every way...

She worried how, if he had created her, why she suddenly had all these desires to learn of organic lifeforms' feelings and their actions? Why did she want to be… or at least try and feel…

Alive?

A loud crash was heard as Metal Amy's system activated, and she took off toward Metal Sonic again.

Metal Sonic was laying in crumbled rocks and a crater. She beheld a glowing yellow object in the sky above him.

It turned to reveal Super Sonic, who once seeing her, smiled. "He's all yours!" he winked, spinning around and holding his hand up as if waving to her.

Her eyes widened, she had never seen this form of Sonic before…

"..That is… if you can beat me to him."

"…?!"

"Think fast!"

Super Sonic dove down, a swan dive, heading straight for the kill shot to deal a finishing blow to Metal Sonic before she could get to him. Understanding this, she quickly panicked, her system demanding she reach him and repair him as she blasted down after Sonic's playful threat. The rocket under her metal dress activated to give her added boost, hoping she could reach him in time before Sonic out-maneuvered her.

Super Sonic suddenly, halted his advance, turned, and looked back over his shoulder at her behind him,…

His smile caught her, and the strange shift of attention made her eyes fixate on his own expression. Her scanners couldn't read what he was revealing in his look to her...

Then...

He threw a punch her way.

"Fooled ya!"

"Urk!"

"Haha! A robot's a robot!"

Metal Amy had been fooled, as Super Sonic flew back up and started attacking her instead.

Metal Sonic slowly twitched himself up off the ground, one eye slightly shut, as he beheld the battle above him.

Rage and jealousy flew through his being, as his damaged engine kicked up again, the turbine moving and sparking with power as a light began to zoom into it.

His eyes fixated and honed in on Sonic's every blow to his creation... Metal Amy... powerless to defend against such a powerful foe.

"THIS BATTLE…IS MINE!" He flew up and got a good swipe at Sonic, before kicking him down on his back, pushing him away from attacking Metal Amy. He was about to follow after him and finish the job before Metal Amy grabbed his hand.

He had looked back to her with crazy intense eyes, infuriated that she had stopped him. He wasn't even making words anymore, he was down to robotic sounds and loud metallic screeches. So... this is what Sonic could reduce him to? He was so heated by Sonic turning to attack her instead of him, that he was literally left to his basic robotic programming…

Attack.

"My master, cease attack!" Metal Amy begged, "If you do not, you will surely be destroyed!"

Metal Sonic ripped his arm away from her grasp and dived back down to try and finish Sonic.

"Master!" She knew she was already a dead robot scrap-pile walking, but she had to help him. He was going to destroy himself trying to destroy Sonic…

Why did she care so much? Was it her programming that was ringing in her sockets and humming in her ear-containers? Or was there more? She was his creation, after all, and he was her objective... but...

She dove down after him, ignoring what logic she could muster to what wasn't an abnormality to be thought about anyway!

Sonic came flying back up to attack him, regaining some of himself, as Metal Amy held her hammer back to hit him away.

"NOOO!" Metal Sonic grabbed her hammer, saving Sonic from that terribly powerful blow, and shoved it away. He grabbed her metal face and thrust her out of his way. "THIS IS MY BATTLE! GOO! NOWW!" His voice was almost demonic as Sonic took the chance to grab and secure his neck, leaving Metal Sonic unable to fight back against him and blasted forward, disappearing off into the night, as the day had already begun to end...

The last rays of sunset were on Metal Amy's crushed face, as she quickly tried to look over the line of treetops that covered her view from the two squabbling beings. She felt the wind rush by her face, as small metal shards broke away from her cheeks and headpieces like tears...

He wouldn't let her help him.

Wasn't that her objective?

Why did she care so much?

It must be programming... it must be that...

She just wanted to receive approval. To prove herself to him.

Why?

Why did it matter?

He would always be what he is. He was programmed to hate and abuse. To scar and to destroy.

She found her eyes bend and her eyelids slack...

"M...Master..."

She hit the ground hard.

Her heavy metal frame laid there, her battery failing her anyway, as she awaited death.

If… Metal Sonic didn't destroy himself… that is.

A few hours went by as she suddenly heard the organic tone of what she was told was the enemy, Knuckles, call out, "I think I see one over here!" as Tails and Amy's shadowy figures appeared in the distance ahead of her.

She saw through the zoom in her eye-screens that indicated weak points and other such things that they were advancing towards her. It quickly calculated that they were hurt but not to a critical point, but in her current state, she may only be able to fight for a few minutes or so. She turned off the software again, not desiring to fight them, as the red warning signs of Metal Sonic's condition were also beginning to annoy her as well.

Her system was so far gone with errors anyway, that she could react and make decisions like that; pushing all her power to her eyes, so she could still see what was happening.

Her system kept warning her of her battery, as sound began to get muffled. She couldn't move, nor did she care. She hated her existence… but loved it all at the same time. Enough to try and preserve it, anyway.

She saw Tails kneel down and look her over as he turned back to his friends, stating something she could barely identify as, "She looks alright, but her systems seem to be failing."

"Can you reprogram her to be good, Tails? I know she doesn't want to be like the others, I just know it!" Amy's voice was also tough to cohesively put sounds together for Metal Amy's systems to judge what she was saying.

Knuckles threw the two badly injured and defeated metal copies of themselves down too, next to her vision. "Eh, let her systems fail, I say." Knuckles voice was understandable but fading in volume to her, though she knew that was from lack of energy in her own self.

He had his hands on his hips, as he glared down at her with disgust, and then looked to Tails.

"Hmm… it could be they run on a battery system. Since they look pretty high-tech to me... they must use up a lot of energy to operate, resulting in this one being their recharger." Tails turned around and held his hand to his chin, thinking out loud, and then gesturing to Metal Amy, who now was completely deaf.

"So… she's a walking, talking, battery?" Amy asked as Tails nodded in agreement.

"Exactly!" Tails stated and looked back at Metal Amy. "That's why her 'priority' as you stated before, wasn't to attack you. It was to aid her friends." He stated, smiling at concluding what he definitely thought was the case. "For Metal Sonic to think up a strategy like that is truly unreal! But it makes a lot of sense. I guess he just didn't see you as much of a threat, Amy…" Tails looked back to Amy, a little saddened to say that to her.

"It's okay. I'm totally the 'battery recharger' on this team!" She jumped up and hugged the two with both her arms, as they were forced to bend down slightly by her force. "Recharging the fighting spirit... in progress! Haha!" she joked.

"Haha, very funny." Knuckles sarcastically stated, moving out of her grasp and flinging her arm down once off of him to then fold his own arms and huff his annoyance out. "So now what do we do with them?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure-"

"HIT THE DECK!"

Sonic, now out of super form, fell down and landed on his face after the team had heard his warning and gotten out of the way.

"Offph!" he threw his head out of the dirt and shook it a bit. "Rough landing… just a typical, ordinary day!" he joked and got up. Dusting himself off, he looked back at Metal Amy and her brothern. "Woah! You trashed those two hard! But Amy…" he looked back to Metal Amy, and then to regular Amy as he lifted his thumb back to her metal counterpart. "Why didn't you trash her?" he asked, humorously. "What? Didn't want to get your pretty face dented in?"

She puffed up her cheek, and he freaked out as she summoned her hammer and ran after him. "I DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT HER, JERK! She's a nice robot!" she flung her hammer down on his head a few times as he continued to run with each blow.

"Okay, okay, I get it, Amy! Stop!" he ran with his arms out in front of him as he ducked into a bush to avoid her next hit.

She decided to let up, seeing as he learned his lesson and snottily turned her head high and to the side, walking back. "I'm gonna get Tails to reprogram her to not be a killing machine. Then, she'll help us defeat Metal Sonic!" she chimed, thinking it a brilliant plan, but also trying to show Sonic not to insult her again by stating it as though he should of 'known better' than to doubt her. "That's why I didn't trash her! Bleeh!" she stuck her tongue out at him as she let her hammer down and leaned on it slightly, pulling the bottom skin near her eye down to show him up.

"Heh… you don't say." Sonic got out of the bush, scratching his head and smiling weakly with a nervous expression on his face. Some awkward sweat-drops dripping down the side of his face indicated his obvious desire to not anger or push her further on this topic... "I've already taken care of Metal Sonic though. So no need for a rat." Sonic smiled, seeing as they may use Metal Amy as a spy. "She's pretty much scrap metal now."

"Hmm.. but just in case, I'd like to scan her memories and find out what Metal Sonic was really planning... I know killing you is top on the list, for sure, but what about what he had planned for the world?"

"You mean… destruction?" Amy asked Tails.

"Or world domination." Knuckles punched his two fists together.

"Either or." Tails stated, nodding to their theories, as either one could be right.

Sonic returned to his natural look and demeanor as he walked up to Metal Amy, bending down and tapping her head, hearing the metal clank. "Can you really make her sing and dance for us, Tails?" He asked, looking humorously up at Tails.

"Well… I can try." Tails smiled, liking Sonic's joke. "But it depends on how deep and severe her programming is. It could be hard to crack into and refigure…"

Sonic got up and away from Metal Amy, wrapping an arm around Tails and shaking him slightly. "I know you can do it, little buddy! If anyone can hack a computer, it's you!" he encouraged, as Tails laughed and let him do what he pleased. But you could tell he appreciated the confidence in Sonic's voice.

A loud explosion was heard as the team jolted and heard another bomb dropping.

Looking up, they quickly ran as Sonic got each one of his friends; Knuckles being flung over his shoulder, and Amy and Tails in each hand as they narrowly escaped death.

The bomb exploded as fire lit up the forest, and Metal Sonic hobbled down from the sky, not looking too good as his stepping was slow and weak. His shoulders slumped over, and one of his eyes still was only half open, looking at his fallen support through the flames. Anger overpowered him, and he roared in anger, "USELESS!" he cried out again, "I must destroy Sonic with the Chaos Emeralds… only then can I have enough unlimited power to enable me to destroy him… If he can't turn Super, he can't win! I am almost perfect!"

He looked to see Metal Amy's eyes move up to him. She was playing dead, but still wanted to see what was happening.

Though she was deaf, she could still see through a bit of the blur from the heatwave the fire was causing.

Metal Sonic looked down to her, as the wind carried the flame's fury and sparks of slow-falling ashes across the back of his being.

He walked over to her and tilted her head up. As if bending to slightly cradle with his clawed hand her chin and pinch her cheeks on either side, forcing her to look at him.

She worried that he would vent his frustration out on her, but was terrified to shut down and show that fear of being hurt.

"…Don't ever interfere again…" He didn't know her hearing was shut off, but quickly activated a code in her mind that allowed him to wireless communicate with his support. So she got the code and registered the meaning.

His tone though... if she could hear it... seemed to be less harsh and critical. More of a scold than anything else... but it dared to show... some fondness at the same time.

As if there was some cost in losing her to him... was there?

The memory of Sonic trashing his beloved creation... one that surprised him, kept him entertained, and wanting more...

How dare he...

How dare they all...

Her eyes flickered as she was still losing power, moving left and right, looking at him and unable to blink.

What was he gonna do to her?

Leaning down, she felt a program she hadn't known existed spark up, and her speaker receptor flipped to show a black slate, just like the conductivity electrical healing units on her hands.

…But why was this on her…?

He bent down and performed what looked to be a… kiss.

Sparks flew as he absorbed the last of her energy in her battery, and she shut down in complete and total confusion, submission, and shock of seeing the hidden feature that seemed to only activate when he wirelessly activated it to do so.

He tossed her now lifeless, so to speak, head down and got up. His speaker receiver sparking as it moved up his muzzle and connected with the sides of his head to travel down his body. The screws on either side of his cheeks sparked with the renewal of power and energy necessary to get his support out of there.

He lightly touched his muzzle where the sparks were so powerful that black soot and skid marks remained in their aftermath.

He wanted to reveal that as a mocking response to her programming she had once made for emotion, to torture her with her own obsession, but Sonic always ruined his fun...

He let his fingers skim the steel... then felt her energy course through him and moved his daggered-fingers to scale down and follow where the energy flowed.

He closed his eyes... storing the new energy up and recharging the last of his power... before using it to grab the three supports and fly back home.

His rockets and jet turbine just managing to get him back and into the shower of lightning that they all knew too well, quickly restoring his power.

He leaned on the edge, feeling his weakness. His systems warned him he was about to shut down due to, not only battery loss, but wires being unplugged and him malfunctioning too.

He was losing power... but with him being the only one left...

Once he had enough power that he managed to contain within himself, he would repair his being first, and then his useless support…

"You have the victory this time, Sonic..." He glared up, his red eyes flickering to a more radiant and bright color with the power slowly returning to his being. "But you will not win the war…"


	3. Chapter 3

Metallic Need

Ch. 3

By: Cutegirlmayra (I really do love this story… I'm taking a little break from Instincts –because I got so bored of it I started rushing, and that's not fair to my readers- so now I can take a breather and get back to these fun ones! :D Metal Sonic… your own errors are starting to peek through the surface,… why on earth would you put that new feature on Metal Amy!? Edited: With new edits, comes new meanings! I hope you're enjoying them so far :) )

Metal Sonic paced up and down the bridge of his hideout. Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles, repaired and functional once more, were discussing the battle beforehand…

"He had demonstrated a new ability I've never seen before. Clearly, our observations are not enough." Metal Tails evaluated as Metal Knuckles stepped forward.

"We needed maintenance. If we had been repaired faster, we could have continued to fight without fail. We would have destroyed them!" Metal Knuckles closed his fists tightly together and shook them in the air. The metal bent at the force, a creaking sound penetrating the air with each violent quiver of his metallic gloved fist. Astonishingly, you could barely tell the crease in the new alloy Metal Sonic discovered for their beings. As a final act of his aggression, He slammed his fists together; Although normally seen as an organic expression of 'anger', Metal Sonic instead overlooked the error, allowing it as a indication of his own hatred of Sonic and his friends.

"Metal Amy was dealing with repairing me, her primary objective. Do you reason that she should have failed in her overall designed purpose?" he was threatening Metal Knuckles for his impertinence. He turned to grab his cape, attached by two steel rings by his hips, and let it drape over one foot as he faced back towards his creation. "One should be careful in how they maintain themselves throughout the battle. Depending solely on a repair system, alone, is weakness." Metal Sonic tightened the slant of a glare in his red eyes, blaring the threat through his deadly scold. More than warning him, Metal Sonic threw in some instruction, before flipping his cape behind him and getting it out of the way; pacing again, he kept his displeasured countenance ahead of himself.

"What have we learned?"

"As your memory has recorded for us, the information was priceless in detailing that Sonic was barely able to stand to your perfection... that is, until he used outside help." Metal Tails showed his allegiance to his master by forming a fist while speaking the praise, before turning to the computer where screens showed different moments throughout Metal Sonic and Sonic's battle.

Metal Sonic watched with his eyes shifting, the battle was glorious in his eyes before….

"The Chaos Emeralds…" his head lowered, his anger and desire showing clearly in how he spoke. He suddenly slashed his hand out, his silvery claws lengthening before dashing up, flying through the air and slicing the screen in the middle when Super Sonic appeared smirking… "He mocks me with that arrogant grin!" he flung his claw out, landing and simultaneously denting the controls of the computer as he got up. Metal Tails moved away in fearful shock at his actions while also turning to look at Metal Knuckles, before wearily glancing back at his master…

"We must obtain these aided support systems. We already rendered his team useless to your perfections on us and unconquerable strategy. There need be no further plan than gaining the Emeralds' power source and using it for our own." Metal Tails responded as Metal Sonic still stood on the now sparking, crawling with loose electricity, computer boards.

"…Yes… I can finally see it. The time when Sonic's existence will be overshadowed by my own form. I shall be more than Sonic,… I shall be the ultimate Sonic! I shall never experience defeat again!"

Metal Knuckles saw how his master threw back his arms and lifted his hands up to proclaim those words and looked to Metal Tails, being silent and lowering his volume on his words as he stated,

"Will we not obtain the same glory? If we defeat our counterparts, we shall be the ultimate of them as well!"

"…If our master decides to keep us around after our purpose to him is met." Metal Tails's grim words made Metal Knuckles lean back, squeaking metal against metal on his back as he did so. Looking down, he realized his Metal Support brother was probably right.

"…Your logic seems correct." He stated. "I calculate a high percentage of uselessness the moment we complete the master's plan… and destroy Sonic and his friends."

"WE?" Metal Sonic turned around as Metal Knuckles flinched slightly and stood straight. Metal Tails took a backside step away from Metal Knuckles, just in case Metal Sonic decided to tear him up again. "Only I shall be perfect enough to defeat Sonic… you deal with his annoying 'friends'." He held his hand up and gripped it into a tight fist, withdrawing his long claws to do so. "Now, be gone. She comes." Metal Sonic looked up while the doors opened and Metal Amy, holding a tray with an oil can, walked in.

Her head was low as she thought about Amy, before looking up and remembering she needed to hide her 'heart' programming feature and not let any organic thing leak through her outer appearance.

"I sense that your batteries are low, I must also oil your metal frames to make sure they do not rust when battle is imminent. Allow me to begin." Metal Amy started to approach Metal Knuckles.

"Finally. My back was beginning to-" He reached back to his squeaking metal boards that kept overlapping one another, causing his back to scrape an unpleasant sound before...

"You shall attend to me first." Metal Sonic jumped down from the computer modules. He walked forward and stopped in front of Metal Amy, before looking back over his shoulder at the other two. "I gave you an order. Obey it." He glared.

Their programming kicked in and they jolted upright, being controlled by his order, they quickly moved out of the room.

Metal Amy looked back to them, feeling bad as she knew they were just going to do their own battery recharge and oiling on their own; which made her sad, considering it was her purpose to do that for them.

"Why do you watch their retreat?" Metal Sonic lifted an eyebrow, he was sure he had gotten rid of most of her errors. The ones he kept were only tweaked a little bit, but he kept them because of how entraining they were to him. However… he hoped that the small percentage that stated she could return to more errors wouldn't occur, so he could still technically say she was 'perfect'. But he knew that was mostly him lying just to keep her interesting…

She flung her head back to his direction and quickly blinked her eyes wide, not realizing she had looked after them like that…

It was her 'heart' programming again, she figured. Amy had often looked back to those exiting from her presence, and Metal Amy's 'heart' programming was pretty much done and processed through. She had to be careful, she couldn't let herself slip up in front of Metal Sonic…

"I… seem unnecessary." She looked down, her eyelids dropping in a bit of sadness, but he may just mock her for that, and she knew he wouldn't destroy her right after fixing her. Or at least… the percentage of that was minimal.

Metal Sonic lifted an eyelid up in curiosity. "And why is that?"

"They are fully able to charge themselves… yet, I am designed to-"

"Do you question your existence?" he lowered his eyelids halfway, tilting his head up and folding his arms. More Sonic gestures…

"…Yes." She tried to stay honest. Maybe she could get some answers on why he made her maintenance and not just defense like Metal Knuckles, or brains like Metal Tails. If Amy Rose was correct, then her existence to Sonic is the 'heart' of the team. Metal Sonic had no need for a 'heart' for his plans. So would she be unneeded? Scrapped? Used for spare parts?

"All you need to know is that I designed you for aid in my battle against Sonic. Amy is not always present, but she seems to give Sonic some sort of…energy… during a battle." He looked to the side, before back at her again, and leaned forward. "That is why you are created. You give me energy. And I am priority above them. If they can't wait to be recharged, then that is their own concerns. You need not think I created you for little to no use. You insult me by questioning my reasoning." He glared his red eyes at her, but in a gentle threat that mostly mocked. He moved around her, shadowing her head with his hand just barely above it. He could feel the electricity in the atmosphere close to her, the buzz of chemical pressures and reactions, radiation; such beautiful pieces of robotic destruction... All to his perfect engineering designs. His eyes glowed brilliantly for a moment before fading to their normal light, and he once again made his way to the front of her, dropping his waving hand from sensing her robotic auras.

"…I am pleased to know I hold some worth. Even if I cannot calculate to your level of genius, I know I must be valuable." She dodged a bullet, but she wouldn't be that lucky next time. His floating, surfing hand over her made it clear that she still greatly feared this side of him. She needed some way of looking more robotic, and…. And she wondered if his closeness was just another way to mock her. But she didn't think he thought she had errors anymore, so she wondered why he would go to such lengths to treat her more organically than the other two…

Always looming over her, complimenting himself through her, and especially the steely touch...

"...You will work on me at once." He moved past her fully now, done with the subject at hand. He sat down and held his hand out to her. "Recharge me first." He stated again, this time a distinct order.

"…Yes, my master." She walked up the three encircling rings of the platforms to his throne and was about to touch his hand with her receptor as the black slate on her palm began to spark, but she felt something automatic be triggered wirelessly in her head, and her mouth black slate slid open. "Wh-what is this?" She had remembered this function happening back on the battlefield before but… but-!

He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, their heads collided as he fed off her energy, absorbing it through the receptor he installed on her muzzle-piece…

There was more to it than that though...

There was the sensational 'rushing of sparks' from her battery up through her head and out her front muzzle. It electrified and felt pleasing, though her systems were constantly aware of how much power was being lost.

It wasn't harsh, however. For the first time in Metal Amy's existence... it felt...

More electrical pluses bounced around inside her muzzle area, and fear of Metal being the one to conjure this strange unknown lead her into a panic.

She shook her head at the alluring sensation and pulled away, surprised by the strangeness of this programming as he stroked his speaker on his mouthpiece in amusement. "Funny… I had thought you caught on to that by now.."

He seemed to find some sort of pleasure in receiving the energy renewal's sensation through this organic gesture.

"I can't help but think it's appropriate that I tease you with your own fascination of organic behaviorisms…" he put his head on his hand, resting it there as his arm held support through the throne's armrest.

She wobbled back, "You…" her eyes shook in fear at realizing he… "You knew I was fascinated by my counterpart?"

He mocked a deep chuckle, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again. "I still can't compute how your reasoning did not deduce that I would find those errors once upgrading you. Come now, Metal Amy… do you really believe I wouldn't find them?"

She was terrified, as her 'heart' programming made her shake, knowing that's the simulation of fear. But she quickly canceled the programming as soon as it started simulating heavy breathing.

She should have taken the precaution and done that sooner, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway...

He knew her weakness.

And to make all matters worse... he was fiddling with it.

"…Why do you freeze so quickly? Perhaps I should of deleted them all… but you were just so … fun… back then." He kicked his leg up over the other and reached his hand out again. "I'm willing to let you live with such inferiorities only because your weakness amuses me… fail to obey, however, and I shall not ignore them further… 'heal' me." He chuckled again.

Metal Amy looked back up at him. He found her a joke? Was that the only reason why she was able to break programming? He had allowed some errors to stay, only because he could mock her like this? A simple pastime pleasure then?

Her anger grew as her fist shook, and her eyes narrowed. "I am to be treated like an organic then?"

"As long as you continue to act like one." He tilted his head, as his mouthpiece turned up to simulate an arrogant grin. "And I find it amusing to mimic organic behavior just to insult you." he stated, the most slyest robot on the earth was getting a kick out of torturing his own creation.

Quite a different relationship between servant and master, but Metal Amy was growing furious by his insulting her.

"Then I do not need to hide it?" she responded, which made him lose the smile.

"…So you wish to embrace your inferiority?" he asked, almost as if he didn't believe she would suggest that.

Now she really wanted to get this bully back. "If I am to be treated like an organic… then an organic shall I be." She started up her 'heart' programming again, not being afraid anymore. Might as well test his limits...

He saw that bold confidence and lost his humor in the situation, growing enraged by her reaction.

His head jerked then.

Her programming triggered after a time limit activated when she hadn't responded to his demand, and her eyes showed warnings as she rolled them in annoyance, letting herself be organic. She walked over to his hand...

His claw lengthened.

"Let me be clear…" his voice was dark, not warning her anymore, but now threatening with the most perceived frustration he could muster, being simulated in his tone of voice. "I only kept them to mock you. If you continue to act so boldly confident in you inferiorities, I will reprogram you." So he was going to scramble her head around again, eh?

Metal Amy took a deep simulated breath, and looked up at him, faking a smile as she closed her eyes. "I understand, master. If it pleases you to 'hurt my feelings' than so be it. I shall be honored to be your source of amusement." She wanted so badly to get back at him, but her programming forbade her from even thinking of an attack on him or anything like that.

Did he hate it because her actions reminded him of Sonic's cocky nature? She was being rebellious out of spite for being wronged, no doubt; but her design did belong to him...

He controlled everything. From the placement of her wires to the melting if her alloy into her shape. Even her own agency...

She took his hand and started recharging the rest of what he didn't already take before she pulled back. Taking the oil, she started to dap it while he seemed to close his eyes and just let her get her job done.

The oil cooled and seeped through his metallic gaps and creases... slipping into and dripping down the sides of his inner mechanism. The wires lightly vibrated at the drops that fell on them, as they all traveled the sensation through him like neurons.

"You shouldn't annoy me…" he warned, now calmer from the enjoyment he was receiving from her work. "I rather like you. It would be a shame if I had to reconstruct your mind… Your thinking fascinates me... Except the fact that you just told me you prefer to be inferior." He glared up at her, as she moved to his shoulder. Standing to the side of him, she thought quickly how to respond to that.

"…Only around you. Since it seems to please my master, I shall act like an errored robot. However…" she moved to his other side, as he watched her carefully, liking her response...

"I am not an errored robot." She knelt down, lowered her head, and then stared up at him, trying to use something she saw Amy do to Sonic before.

"Please? I just want to have dinner with you!" Amy begged, as Sonic rolled his eyes and seemed to try and look away from her. His hand on his hip, and his other arm being held by her own two hands. He was definitely seeing that his chances of escape were all but futile.

"Soooniiicc!" she whined, before lowering her head down and looking up at him, blinking her eyes and pouting cutely. "I'd settle for a small snack… like a … chilidog… maybe?" she beamed.

Sonic didn't speak as he looked back at her, before finally sighing and stating, "I know a good place."

"Yippie!" she cheered, as she gripped his arm and walked off with him.

Metal Amy had actually recorded this incident herself, as it was usually Metal Tails who spied on everyone and got the data back to them and into their programming. But They were also required to spy on their counterparts without Metal Tails's assistance.

She hones her sight on their intertwined arms, zooming in on the link and how their bodies bumped the other from the close proximity. She was confused, and monitored heart rates and tried to calculate blood pressures.

Calm, serene... Even though Sonic's heart beat faster than normal homeostasis in regular lifeforms, he looked to Amy as she leaned her head on his shoulder, and then lifted a finger to his nose. He looked away and itched it, though Metal Amy couldn't see why, there wasn't any irritation that she was aware of present on his nose.

Metal Amy then rolled her head to lean it on Metal Sonic's resting arm upon the armrest.

If Amy Rose could get what she wanted through affectionate means of organic life, would the same actions compel kindness from her robotic master?

Metal Sonic looked down at her, not recognizing her actions as an organic thing, and turned away. "How are you not errored? You find organics interesting, and you once stated that you would use that data to destroy Amy Rose. When really, you seemed to quite like your little chat with her." He looked back to her, as she realized he had seen ALL of her thoughts and memories from before. "Let me give you a new order…" he leaned close to her face again, as she dared not move except for removing her head from him and standing up.

"…If you come into contact with Amy Rose again… you are to attack her… destroy her until there's nothing left or given alternative instruction. Understood?" he lifted a claw to her head as far as it could reach. His claws stretched to reach her, slowly elongating their sharp, silvery selves up to the side of her, and taking their leisure to scale down her body. Seeming to admire his own handy work on her design once again, Metal Sonic twisted his deadly touch over each nook and cranny. Being careful to not scratch the new paint job, but enjoying the sound of his spiky-pointed, metallic claws against her flexible metal alloy frame...

Metal Knuckles really shouldn't have called her 'not decent' looking. Metal Sonic rather liked her look, and did think it pretty… for robotic standards, anyway.

It was symmetrical, pleasing, efficient... a work of art.

"..I compute." She stated as she felt what organics would call 'grief' come over her at realizing the next time she spoke with Amy Rose, she would have to completely annihilate her. She knew that would have been the case anyway, but knowing she couldn't resist that programming,... now that he had ordered it,... made her even sadder.

If… a robot could be sad, that is.

Or mad... or happy... or-

She stole a glance to Metal Sonic, only to turn her head in disappointment and look away in helpless improbability.

"Good." He moved one of his clawed fingers to her chin, making her look back at him. "Now get back to work. You've already wasted my time and patience on you daring to accept you're inferiorities." He tilted his head in amusement at mocking her again, before glaring once more and gripping her mouth.

"Don't try and convince me you aren't as errored as I know you to be… I created you. I know you inside and out. I know all your past programming and your little attempt at creating organic emotions within yourself. Do not think I'm fooled by your cleverness. It is your ironic sense of 'feeling' and trying to protect it by being clever that makes me keep you operational. I could create a completely new data core for you in a matter of seconds. So I suggest you stay interesting, Metal Amy…" he removed his grip on her mouth and gently swiped his claw, teasingly, in front of her as she flinched back; shaking to simulate fear as she was now allowing her 'heart' programming, which he had seen before but didn't apparently know was back just yet, to activate and fully be exposed.

"…I shall remain as I am then. For your pleasure." She hated stating that. It not only demoralized herself, but it made her feel like she was just his play toy when he had nothing better to do than insult and mock her. But what choice did she have?

If she kept denying the errors, he would see that as 'lying' to him, and he would delete her existence and replace her data core with another. She wouldn't be herself again,... completely wiped from existence to make way for a new Metal Amy.

She had to play his cruel game, and she had to accept it.

He wanted Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles perfect, but he could care less if she errored. Just so long as she was amusing.

This realization made her just want to destroy something to PROVE she was still strong, and not something weak. Her fascination didn't make her WEAK, it made her… her… she didn't know what it made her. But she knew if she had to fight, it wouldn't inhibit her from doing so-

But fighting to destroy Amy Rose…

She didn't really want to do that, but she could.

She could…

She couldn't resist now that she was ordered to destroy her. But by admiring Amy Rose,... that curiosity led her to not complete her programming…

Ah, she finally got it.

That's what an error was.

Something that halted it's user from completing their objective.

A mistake. A state or condition of being wrong.

….but she needed to feel alive.

She just didn't quite understand why yet, but if being wrong meant being alive then-!

As she continued to work on Metal Sonic, now staying silent, she re-ran a video clip of what Amy had said to her… before…

"How can a weakness be a strength?"

"Huh? W-well… Our feelings can give us power through hope, and energy through love and kindness. Courage is born from the heart! Especially when your fighting for those you love. You're sad they're in danger… but the wish to keep them alive makes you stronger, and at the same time, makes you weaker.. because you realize you could lose them if you fail. I guess,… it makes you fight harder… because you don't want that outcome to happen. You have faith, and faith is truly believing you can make the impossible, possible."

"…Faith…I will remember those words."

And remember them she did.

If weakness, such as errors, could somehow improve her overall programming… make her stronger… by thinking the impossible could be possible; then, by fighting for something you don't want to lose… strength from weakness could be obtained? But how could a robot ever achieve such strength from organic emotions?

"You remain silent. Have my words finally proven true to you? That your errors are not something to be desired?" he looked up, still annoyed that she wasn't being very fun to joke with anymore. She had become more robotic by not speaking, and he didn't like having silenced her.

But... didn't he like her more robotic? Or was there something more to it then that..?

She was just finishing up when she responded, "I may have found a way to create power from error… But as I am not organic, I thereby am unable to process how to fully utilize this theory, and test it appropriately." She looked away, worried he would scold her for trying to find an answer to making an error a strength.

"I suppose that means you failed." He smiled again, "Have you come to realize the inevitable fact that your efforts in that area are in vain?"

She was heading out when her footsteps stopped in place on the ground. Her whole body filled with anger at his words. He just enjoyed seeing her suffer and conflict with herself. Or maybe just with reality.

Either way… she just wanted to prove she wasn't something to be made fun of.

"…" She wanted to say something witty back, but fearing her life, she just accepted her cruel fate and walked on.

He flipped himself over his throne and dashed to her, grabbing her from behind, taking her hand and absorbing more of her energy through it's black-slate...

Sparks flew everywhere as she was taken aback while he laughed as he moved his head closer to her cheek, his nose slightly scratching it.

"Hahaha! You are more fun when you try and resist the impossible! Come now, you mustn't be upset. Don't you see? By trying to prove me wrong and failing to do so, you have made me pleased with you. Your 'life' is secured by your foolish processing of obvious data." He laughed louder, and with each word, insulting and belittling her further.

She tried to struggle out of his hold, but he just squeezed her closer to him, draining her more and more of her energy as she grew weaker. Her struggling became a challenge as her movements grew sluggish, and her resistance less force-giving.

"Now you see,... you are growing weaker on the outside, to match what you are within! I admit that I made you to be perfect, and compared to the real deal, you are quite more powerful and enjoyable. You should be happy with me,... I at least find you more satisfactory than Sonic does to his own Amy Rose…"

That was the last straw.

"Raaahhheeerrreeekkk!"

she let out a metallic cry as she activated an emergency explosive system in her.

She didn't want to hear him calling her inferior to Amy Rose.

To her, Amy was valued to Sonic, and her life was grander than Metal Amy's existence!

To show up Metal Sonic, as she wished to do, she exploded in his face; leaving him to be surprised and blown back against the already sparking computers. More mini-explosions went off from the damage it caused the central bridge, as his form twitched within the shredded console.

Sparks still zap now and again, causing him to lurch a little in his scrap-metalled seat, enduring the explosions, but continuing to start up the simulated laughing again.

She evaded him again.

She proved to be more of a fighter, and he liked that about her.

Her programming wouldn't let her fight him, even if he was fighting her. She wouldn't have been able to fight back...

By cheating around her programming, she had found a way to—more or less—indirectly 'slap him' away from her.

He liked that her only calculated attempt at rebelling against him was to destroy herself.

"Next time I rebuild you,... I'll make sure you have nowhere to escape…"

He wiped some ash off his metal muzzle, revealing his speaker to be a smirk.

"You won't be able to run from me, Metal Amy… you are mine to use as I please… And if I make you my entertainment, then that is of my own will and pleasure."

He got up, his cape being ripped and shredded a bit by having been burned and torn through. There still remained a light flame on the side of it as he pressed on...

Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles rushed in.

"What befell here?"

One of them asked.

"Hahaha… a good time." He responded, and glared to them.

"Pick up her pieces, or whatever you can salvage. I have a new design for her this time…"

whatever he was planning… it didn't sound to good for Metal Amy… as he kicked the remaining head frame of her over and looked for her data core.

Her memory chip and data core were protected by heavy metal, and her feeble attempt at getting back at him hadn't destroyed it or even touched it, to say the least.

He dusted it off with almost loving care, as a compartment on his hand slid away for him to put the chip in, getting her memories and thought processing to see how she viewed their little 'squabble'.

"…'Heart'?" he raised an eyebrow. "Well, that won't do…" he got up and walked on, heading out as Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles did as they were told. Looking back, they watched him snicker as the doors closed behind him, and looked to each other.

They wouldn't dare say what they were thinking… and quickly just gathered what they could of her remains.

Eggman's HQ

"SOOONNICCC!"

"Hey, Egghead!"

"DIEEE!"

Another game of cat and mouse seemed afoot as Eggman's robots all tried to destroy a speedy Sonic, who ran up the walls to dodge their fire, coming down on them with a spiny head full of quills in the form of a spin dash!

"Augh! Why are you even here?!"

Eggman was up in his control room as he clicked a button, having his seat move up and back him into his eggpit, which was in his Egg-o-matic destroyer machine; fierce-looking, like a pretty bulky fighterbot.

A 'click' was heard as the floor spun away and the robot fell to where Sonic was poised to start directly fighting Eggman.

"I'm not here to take you down again, Eggman! I'm here to rack up another win against Metal!" he shouted up, grinning from ear to ear as he found this all just too fun. He came to a halt by Eggman's robot, stretching out and rotating his arm, keeping himself loosened up for the main reason why he was here.

"What..? B-bu-but that's impossible!" Eggman shouted out, flinging his arm out behind him as he then slammed his hand on the controls of the Egg-o-matic destroyer. Leaning forward, he began to explain, "Metal Sonic's been deactivated and completely drained of all life aboard my junk-ship for years! After his little 'Overlord' demonstration, I haven't even attempted at revitalizing him. You couldn't have possibly fought him!" Eggman stated, a little dumbfounded and enraged that Sonic would make such an assumption.

"…Wait, what?" Sonic let his guard down a moment, as he looked to Eggman in surprise. He leaned himself forward and pointed an accusing finger at Eggman. "But him and his pals just attacked me and my gang a few days ago!"

"…Him and his… pals?" Eggman lifted an eyebrow up and scratched his head. "I always had the plans marked up about more Metal analogous creations, but I never really got around to figuring out what I'd necessarily DO with them. Considering Metal's AI was too advanced to really control remotely once I let him go solo. Then the whole 'rebellion' factor was something that I DIDN'T want to deal with again, especially in a brand new set of them! Ugh, I can't even imagine what a single father would have to go through with more than one teenage boy. Hmph. This is why I never adopted." Eggman rambled on after that, folding his arms and leaning back to monologue a minute as Sonic looked down; tapping his foot, he was eager to get to the bottom of this, beginning to impatiently tap his finger to the side of his chin as well.

He thought as he made the parallel between his finger and foot.

"If you didn't build them… then who did?"

"Well, if Metal Sonic DID escape... Ba-hm-ha, that's it!" Eggman quickly typed in some things, and his Egg-o-matic destroyer flew back up as Sonic stepped back and glanced up at the turbo-boosters engaged on its feet.

"H-hey! Don't forget me! Haha! Going up!" He raced forward and jumped onto its foot, holding on as the robot positioned itself back on the above platform, the floor spinning in to fill the hole beneath them. The robot landed once more as Eggman got out, typing some stuff as his Eggpit moved over to reveal on his monitors his unresponsive junk-ship signal. "He…HEEE…" Eggman twitched, slowly moving his arms up to grip his head as he saw a camera flicker on, the last remaining signal to establish contact that was still functioning, revealing the entire Junk-ship flying in pieces within space. "HE BLEW UP MY MEMORIES!" he cried out, sobbing and slamming his head to the computer board, banging his fists on it and pounding the ground with his feet.

To anyone else... this would look like a pitiful tantrum...

"All my old inventions… all those terribly scarring childhood memories… all my failed attempts at taking over the world… gone….g-gon-gon-gone! Whhaaahhahhhha…" he cried out, as Sonic slowly sneaked behind him, deciphering the monitors.

'Ah… so that's how he busted out!' Sonic thought and looked to Eggman. "There, there. Little Egg-baby… I'm sure you'll make another Junk-ship that will carry all your new, sad attempts at ending my life once more." He patted Eggman's shoulder, and then hopped down from behind his chair, looking back at the computers. "So! Is there any way to find out where Metal Sonic's hiding then?" he asked, taking his focus back to Eggman, and folding his arms. "I don't have forever here, Doc!"

Eggman sniffed, taking out a handkerchief and wiping below his glasses, before sneezing into it. "Quite right... None of us do." he stated and clicked some buttons in his sorrow. "I –sniffle- need revenge anyway." He snuffed up a huge booger back into his nose; disgusted, Sonic winced into a horror-stricken face that said everything about how he felt after that display.

Sonic turned around and seemed to hold back his vomiting while Eggman typed before slamming his fists down on the controls again. "DANG IT! He deactivated his old tracking device. He must have upgraded himself…" Eggman concluded as Sonic turned back around, gripping the armrest of the Eggpit as he tried to shake off his nauseated sensation.

"Any other good news?" his cheeks suddenly filled again, and he held a hand up, turning away again.

"Well… since usually only my robots are the ones who are completely metal around here… I created a Metal Sonar Detection device to keep track of them all. Mostly when I send them out on little errands for me, like groceries!" he cheered up a little bit, activating the programming as Sonic turned back around.

"I don't feel so good…" he admitted, leaning on the back of Eggman's Eggpit chair, his arm draped over his head, holding onto the back of it as his other hand just pressed against the chair while his head hung down.

"Ho, ho, ho. You'd be surprised how well they do. I'm certain the cashier is terrified of all the coupons I keep scrounging up! Discounts are never to be taken lightly, you know." He stated, still getting the system up as a sonar showed bright green rings spreading across the monitors, slowly blinking some green dots as it passed. Eggman kept moving the sonar around to find something on the sonar that wasn't green…

"I'm sure they were terrified of something else, Eggface." He finally got a hold of himself as he straightened up and leaned his head back a ways, putting his hands on his hips before shaking himself out. "Gonna be seeing nightmares for weeks." He muttered before Eggman screamed out, 'Ah-ha!' and his evil grin came back to his face.

"There they are!"

Red dots showed collectively around the same area.

"One, two, three… three?" Eggman stated and began to think. "Oh, ho! There's a Metal Tails and Knuckles, isn't there?! Haha! I'd like to see how he designed them, to be honest." Eggman's curiosity was peaked, as Sonic looked to see where they were.

"Ooookay! Thanks, Booger-king! But do me a favor, no more 'yo-yo' action, alright? Yuck!" Sonic dashed off as Eggman turned around.

"H-hey, wait! Where are you going!? I'M going to find Metal Sonic, you hear me!? Ohh… might as well." He turned around, hacking into something…

"Hey! How'd you get this signal!?" Tails's face came on the monitor as Eggman put his hands together mischievously.

"I believe Sonic has made an interesting discovery. My robot of him has returned. I would like to know the events of what you saw and what occurred when he attacked you. If you would be so kind~" Eggman grinned, putting his fingertips together and lifting a leg over the other as if willing to have a small 'chat' with the young fox boy...

"…He's found them and is on his way to their hideout,… isn't he?" Tails looked unamused, showing how he figured that was happening even though he didn't know about it. "Without following up with me to make a backup plan, right? Going to see YOU to track them down and not ME, his most loyal friend!" Tails motioned his hand to Eggman and then himself before seeming greatly upset and offended. "AGAIN!? It's almost laughable now how ridiculously predictable Sonic's getting."

"Man up, Tails. He's rash, you know that." Eggman folded his arms and sat back in his chair, not liking Tails's jealousy or being able to put up with his sass today. "Look, he played me too, alright? I showed him where they were and he dumped me to the side when he was done too. But I'll tell you where he's headed if you tell me about what's become of my… most dastardly invention…"

"Considering how he's always looking for something fun to do, I'll believe you, and that you had nothing to do with this."

"...What is that suppose to mean?" Eggman raised an eyebrow.

"Not to be rude... well, there's no way around it. Your schemes just... aren't as fun as they used to be."

Eggman slammed his head down on his monitor, softly letting streams of tears roll down his countertop to his computer board and mumbling quiet whines.

"Eggman..? Hello..? Doctor..?"

Metal hideout

The alarm went off as Metal Amy was walking down the hallway, having been repaired and upgraded. Her 'heart' process taken from her and her errors weakened even further, she became more robotic again, not having her 'back up' self-destruct system anymore and her features looking a lot softer to the touch. She wondered why she was rounded out so much, but still resembling Amy to a remarkable likeness.

She was actually heading down to restore in the electric shower when she heard the alarm and activated her battle form.

Flying up, she noticed Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails fighting Sonic as the defense system's guns rained down on their battle.

She waited for a command, knowing she was mostly there for medical aid before Metal Sonic rose up behind her, dashing at lightning speeds passed her frame.

"Ah! Master!" She called, seeing him literally bash the other two out of his way to make a beeline to Sonic.

"SOOOONNNIIICCC!" he charged as Metal Amy watched the two battle, but Sonic was already beaten pretty badly; not only from fighting through Eggman's lame HQ defenses that already drained some of his boundless energy, but also from taking Metal Knuckles's harsh blows; and then the perfectly timed counter movements of Metal Tails making it almost impossible to find an opening.

"Augh!" Sonic rolled on the ground, trying to get up but falling back down to the ground.

Metal Sonic walked up, looming over him as his eyes glared intimidatingly down at the limits of his body's capabilities. His cape moved in the wind, still ripped from the previous explosion from Metal Amy. "Grrr….ahhh!" he flung Sonic over his head and slammed him back down on the ground. "YOU IMBECILES! You weakened him. Now I can't claim to be the ultimate Sonic without seeming like a coward!" he roared out and kicked Sonic to them, who looked pretty knocked out for the count. "Put him in chains!" Metal ordered, infuriated by them attacking Sonic.

He walked up and grabbed Metal Knuckles by the neck, "I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO ATTACKS AND DESTROYS SONIC! If you engage again… I will satisfy myself greatly in tearing you APART TO SMITHEREENS!" he slammed Metal Knuckles through a gunfire laser canon that lifted up from his arm, shooting him down.

It didn't kill Metal Knuckles, but it did injure him greatly.

They were only following the protocols he installed to protect the base. It wasn't specified which intruder they left alone...

"Metal Amy, attend to him." He commanded, looking up to her as Metal Amy raced down, still wanting to stare at Sonic as if in a type of trance, but not understanding why she was so interested in his appearance there as she quickly started working on Metal Knuckles.

Metal Tails picked Sonic up and did as he was instructed while Metal Sonic reached up and flew to him, grabbing one of his tails and tearing it off so he couldn't fly, taking Sonic and flying up to the Hideout.

Metal Tails crashed as Metal Amy knew she would have to attend to his repairs as well, seeming to look up after Metal Sonic, wondering why he was hurting them all so much in such bewildered rage.

They were only doing as programmed too. His programming...

She had lost her ability to mimic or understand organic emotions, and without her 'heart' system, she felt a piece of herself was missing. She had her memories and even had a few moments where her programming would trigger a very weak and slight error where she would momentarily be able to access her simulated emotions, but she knew that was only for Metal Sonic to amuse himself with when he wanted to tease her again.

Fixing the two up, she was then instructed through a wireless signal that she needed to feed Sonic, who was being kept prisoner until he was healthy enough to fight; however, Metal Sonic ordered her to come to him first.

Metal Amy was ignored by Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails as she entered the bridge again. She saw they looked pretty stone cold and unexpressive… they must have been scolded and knew their place now…

Or... was it worse than that? Were they avoiding even looking at her in fear of repercussion? She could slightly understand that. She was the cause of a lot of their suffering...

If... Robots can suffer, that is.

"He doesn't have the Chaos Emeralds on him." Metal Sonic stated to the two, having his back turned as the door slid closed and Metal Amy stopped just behind him.

"What is my objective? Feed him and tend to him till he is of proper health to contend with you?" Her eyes didn't even blink, she was a complete robot, not even responding to his words. She hated herself, wishing to try and get her errors to free her from the prison he made her into again.

"…I will find the Chaos Emeralds," he flung his cape back, switching who he was speaking to, and walked to the side of her. "You will find him what he needs and keep him here. Alive. Till I am ready to face him once more."

"It is not your perfection that will defeat him then." She calculated as he stopped, listening…

His claws lengthened.

"It would be the Chaos Emeralds that-" he lifted his arm swiftly up to the side of him, where she stood.

She didn't even flinch at his movements.

"I knew I shouldn't have shaven the number of Errors in you… now you're too boring…" his voice sounded disappointed with a hint of mockery as if he wanted to play with her errors again, but then... why did he do it if he liked it so much?

"…I am perfect." She didn't feel it, but her programming made her say it.

"…Hmph. You were more fun as a weak support." He lowered his arm and walked off. "I use the Chaos Emeralds as I use you. Support. Sonic is nothing without his friends nor his precious Chaos Emeralds! If I am to take those from him, I shall be even more powerful than Sonic himself."

"He could still reasonable take hold of the Chaos energy once you have it nearby to support you. Therefore, he would still turn Super as he did before." Her reasoning was better than Metal Tails and this stopped Metal Sonic.

Was it fear that made Metal Tails not speak or reason so boldly? Or was it really Metal Amy's sense of fear in her error of thinking she could 'lose her life' that had made her so witty?

He glanced over his shoulder, not wanting to believe that an error could really have been the source of her amazing processing.

He had looked into her mind's design... nothing was as superior as what he had installed in Metal Tails... so, why..?

She avoided him destroying her time and time again… she even knew how to get around his anger… there must be something in her that he didn't realize he put into her.

But what was it that made her stand out so much to him?

What system did he equip her with that gave her this… thinking? And why did he have such a… fondness for it?

She amused him greatly, but having her more like what he wished the other two were like was… somewhat… boring.

Was her perfection boring him? And were her Errors what gave her that touch of charm that drew him to enjoy mocking her so much?

Being so organic annoyed and enraged him when it came to the other two, but Metal Amy knew how to use her organic errors to her advantage…

"I may have found a way to create power from error… But as I am not organic, I thereby am unable to process how to fully utilize this theory, and test it appropriately."

He had seen her errors, there was nothing there except her 'heart' that might-

He stood up taller just then, his eyes slightly widening a bit.

…Could she have… began processing a way to use her intrigue of organic behaviors and thought processing to her advantage?

"…Is it luck? Or superior thinking?"

He began to remember…

"The same thinking you designed me to have. If I speak like her, won't I fool her into thinking I'm something more than a robot? It could save my 'life' with her, too."

…Had she found a way to save her 'life' by being organic with him? Keeping her organicness to herself and hiding it so carefully could somehow have resulted in her thinking above regular programming?

By taking away most of her errors… did he involuntarily take away the one thing that he found so likable about her?

Weaknesses made strengths… he found that logic flawed.

But… still… could she prove him wrong?

He closed his eyes and moved his head down to the side, chuckling a mock at thinking his reasoning could ever be wrong.

She is just… 'lucky'. He thought, 'and I must try and bring out that same boldness in her again… but not now.' He concluded.

It wasn't the right time for such... fun.

"Even if he returns to his most powerful state,... my power will still exceed his own. And at last… I shall be the better. The more—perfected—Sonic." He walked back to her as she still remained facing how she did when she first walked in, having her back to him.

He traced the back of his clawed hand down her back, liking his new design curve he gave her. More feminine and less angular to show the difference between the robotic men and herself he had created.

She suddenly flinched, having that moment of errors allowed, as she realized he was sending small currents or pulses of data to a certain new function she didn't recognize.

Touch.

She could literally feel him stroking her back.

"What is this error you have given me!?" her body felt odd, she felt sensors in her move where the back was, vibrating to give her a sensation of the organic feeling of…

"It's touch." He stated and looked up to her. "I may have taken most of your errors away, Metal Amy… but I still find it amusing to make you more and more organic…" he lifted a quill, which used to be fully metal in frame, but was now a softer substance that bent and moved, hardening into a solid form when whipped out into battle mode, which Amy engage.

The strange sensation of 'touch' was created by long metallic sticks or pillars attached at their tips by metallic balls that let off a vibrating pitch. These would shake and quiver along her metallic back or body, wherever the sensation or data-triggered it to occur. They would hum slightly to send the signal and the receptors the information of what was occurring, allowing her brain to commute that she had been touched there.

It was oddly gratifying to feel, which made her again nervous. This was much like his programmed 'electric kiss' but without the sparks and electricity.

What on earth was so amusing about giving her what she had longed since desired? To feel organic... But knowing it was only triggered and controlled by him... left her sunken in sorrow and rage. She didn't want him to have this desired power over her. She wanted it for herself and to be triggered as she desired! Not for his pleasure and mocking alone!

"Hmm?" he had held her quill to his face to send a signal too it, but Metal Amy blocked the signal reaching her when she engaged battle mode. He frowned, looking disappointed. "So,… you have figured out that in this form, you cannot have such programming triggered?"

"…Why do you insist on giving me organic qualities? My softer, former appearance… to then transform into a battle-ready function… Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles do not have this feature. They are already Battle ready at all times, why-"

He spun her around and held her closer to him. "Because, even in the beginning, I wanted something 'pretty' to look at…" he lied.

"… Does not compute."

He chuckled. "You saw through my lie, hmm? Very well." He let her go. "I felt it was a necessary stage that should act as a weaker form, one that would allow you to approach and repair without having the spiked drills or sharp-clawed hands to damage us further." He responded by gesturing his hand to each thing he mentioned on her. "That way, you wouldn't be inhibited by your own design."

"…That is logical. I am impressed, although, I shouldn't be. Such thinking is appropriate for the master." She bowed her head in respect, as he liked to hear that, but felt she wasn't as rebellious in thought and word as before. He slightly missed that quality of her 'programmed persona' in her.

She missed her personality too, and deep within her, cursed her programming. She wished she could say what she really thought...

By making her another form, it gave him more options on how to tease her. Like creating that kiss-charger like function and now this touch sensation system too. Why did he want to torture her with organic qualities when he loathed them so much?

She felt he secretly liked them, as he himself, was programmed to act and behave in a Sonic kind of way.

Perhaps he dared not compute his own errors… as she had figured one before. She wished to speak up, to insult him; to force him to destroy her again even though the very thought was terrifying to think about, but her programming forbade her once again.

After being destroyed so many times, she knew he would just rebuild her, adding something new to mock her further on. This must be why she didn't fear death so much anymore. Her boldness had built up from struggling back in her previous lives, but now she was forced to obey directive more than anything else.

"Now attend to him.. and then… attend to me." He lowered his eyelids, looking a little too excited for that time, as he departed.

She knew what that meant...

She hugged herself, her moment of error acceptance engaged, as she still felt the aftershock of the vibrating appendages inside her giving her sensation, even in battle form.

Her memory had recorded it, meaning she could never forget it since her programming wouldn't allow her to delete memory unless for the spy recording system.

She hated her new body, and her new programming he installed in her.

…But he didn't like her new 'perfected' programming too, and began making mock-ups of a new internal makeup for her.

He wanted her 'charm' back. And he was going to get it… One way, or another.

Sonic's Captivity Unit

Sonic was entangled in chains.

Sitting on the ground, the chains all tangled upward to the back wall's ceiling, allowing him little to no movement.

He struggled, before sighing and sitting back, hitting the back wall with his head. "…Ouch." He sarcastically stated and sighed.

The doors suddenly slid open as he leaned up, blinking his eyes, and held his mouth to a curious 'o' shape as Metal Amy entered the unit. He grinned, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, well. If it isn't Metal Sonic's little nurse." He teased and sat back, lifting a leg up to look 'contently cool' as he glanced back up at her, eyelids half closed, trying to be charming. "And what would you like? My autograph? I bet I look a lot better than your metal boyfriend, right? Came to see the original, limited edition, one of a kind Sonic The Hedgehog?" he gave her his best smile, as she knelt down and placed the tray of food down that she had gathered outside.

"Oh... that works too." he smiled, trying to decide how he would eat, "But I'm uhh... currently tied up at the moment. Maybe we can have dinner some other time?" he joked, before seriously trying to figure out how to eat it.

More than anything she wanted to talk to him, but her new programming…

"..Huh? Don't you talk?" He back at her, losing his cool attitude as she lifted a fruit up to him, and then pushed it in his mouth. "Emmoph!?" he was startled by the forcefulness of her shoving food in his mouth.

"…This is how you receive subsidence. Is it not?" she tilted her head, showing the confusion of him not making out true words.

He looked annoyed, lowering his eyelids down in frustration at her not understanding how to feed someone as he chewed and lifted his head up to get the fruit more in his mouth, and gobbled it down.

He rolled his eyes then, licking his lips. "Thanks."

After a moment, she shoved another one in his mouth, and he awkwardly had a sweatdrop glaze over the side of his head; before giving a little smile and doing the same thing he did last time to consume it.

"Ah~ Soft fruit~ Like the ones at the Chao Gardens." He smiled, before growing worried and narrowing his eyes at her. "You didn't hurt any Chaos, did you?" he seemed to grow a bit hostile when he asked that.

"No. I found these elsewhere. I know not of your 'Chao Garden' you speak of. I found these without any life around them, besides more trees." She blinked her eyes.

"….Hmph. Well, then. You're alright in my book." He sat back and took his foot, getting a fruit under his shoe's tip and flicking it up, catching it in his mouth. He tried to get its huge self down in his mouth all the way, "I fweel lwike a pengwuin." He said with a mouthful of chewed up fruit.

Metal Amy pushed to get her errors limited amount of time out.

Finally… she succeeded in creating some leeway.

"Ha…ha…ha." She robotically laughed.

It would have been more accurately organic if her 'heart' system was still in place...

"Hmm?" he blinked his eyes and swallowed his food. "Uhh… thanks for the laugh." He was a little creeped out by her attempt at laughing, but just moved on to the next fruit, using both feet this time to grab it. "I'm glad you didn't use apples..." he humorously replied, mostly talking to himself, as he stuck his tongue to the side of his face and continued to try and eat the food. "Cwould hwave chwoked." he gulped. "Ah~ Then Metal Me wouldn't have the fight he's always wanted."

"I wasn't always this bad at simulating emotion." She explained, not wanting to talk about Metal Sonic. "But…" she looked away from him, down to the side. "I used to be fascinated by organic behaviors and mannerisms… However, my master sees all such things as errors." She figured she couldn't help it. Her entire existence was Metal Sonic, what else could she talk about? "I was recently dismantled and although my outer appearance was only changed minimally, my 'mind' as it were, was restricted and compressed. I can only show organic 'feelings' and 'emotions' through my short period of time when my errors are allowed to be expressed." She explained as Sonic chewed quietly with his mouth closed to hear her. Not wanting to chomp or anything and miss something that could be important as she spoke.

Swallowing, he smiled. "Amy was right. You are different than those killer robots." He took another fruit, as she lifted her head up in surprise, and grabbed the fruit in mid-air, just before it fell into his mouth. "Ah…" he blinked his eyes, mouth still open before leaning forward and glaring with a pout at her. "Hey!"

"Amy Rose spoke of me?" She blinked her eyes in excitement, happy to hear her 'frienemy' had remembered her. "What did she say? What did she do to express her opinion of me?" she kept leaning forward towards Sonic with each question as he grew fearful of her closeness and slowly moved back.

"Umm… personal space… would be…" he gulped, as one of her dress's spikes was dangerously close to his stomach. "If you don't mind…" his eye twitched a little as his mouth was a squiggly line, showing his nervousness at almost getting stabbed as his stomach tried to pull or recede back, but was twitching below the spike.

She looked down. "Oh, your safety is at stake. My apologies." She forgot she was still in battle mode, and quickly shifted back to her softer form.

"…W-woah!" he leaned forward, seeing how pretty she looked in this other form and smiled. "Wow, I'll give Metal Me some credit, He has an eye for detail. Em-hmm." He looked her over, left and right, and then shone a friendly grin up to her. "He almost captured Amy's cuteness in you. But you're a little more… uh… regal, I guess." He commented as she felt the praise made her happy.

Remembering what Amy did when Sonic made her happy, she simulated a quick blush, closing her eyes and moving them down to her cheeks, and then having them glow brightly so the light metal of her muzzle showed the glowing red light through them.

"…Uh… are you… blushing?" Sonic tilted his head, before a corner of his mouth lurched upward at his amusement from seeing that gesture. "I didn't know a robot could do that…"

She moved her eyes back up to her eye-sockets, and lowered the lights in her eyes, as she opened her eyelids and smiled the best she could. "I made that up." She stated as Sonic laughed.

"Yeah, I wouldn't think Metal made you like that. Considering you just said he hates that kind of stuff. But that's a shame. You really looked cute." He complimented again.

She turned away. Smiling, and doing the 'blushing' simulation again. This Sonic was so much more enjoyable to be around then her master…

She couldn't compute what love must feel like, but she thought this was as close as she'll ever get to understanding why Amy Rose liked him so much.

"Hey. Amy said she wanted me to help you bust out of Metal Sonic's control over ya. If you set me free, I'll take you to Tails and he'll make sure you'll be free to act cute whenever you want!" Sonic grinned, planning on manipulating Metal Amy and gaining a new ally. One who could help them ultimately find out what Metal Sonic was up too.

"Hehe, thank you." she simulated another laugh she had once seen Amy do in her memory tapes of her, but didn't reply to his offer.

Her programming didn't allow her to even think of betraying Metal Sonic.

"Uhh… is that a yes?" Sonic asked, blinking and bending his eyebrows back to kindly look at her. "I can't really feel my arms right now." He admitted, having the chains so tight around him. "A little help would be nice…"

"I shall fetch you water." Her period of showing error and allowing it to run its course was through, and she wasn't able to explain to him why she couldn't respond. "Farewell. I shall return momentarily."

As she got up and flew out, she left the bowl of fruit for him to enjoy. She had never felt such a kinship, all because he was kind to her.

She didn't feel so badly about her new body anymore either... Since he had called it close to Amy's organic 'cute'. Which made her very pleased and happy. Something Metal Sonic could and would never achieve.

He leaned forward, "Wait! Come back!" Sonic called, before leaning back down and looking disappointed. "…Aw man." He pouted.

A camera, hanging above the room, recorded the whole thing…

When Metal Sonic returned with the others, he checked the recording, and slammed his fist down on the controls, his fist shaking in absolute rage…

He glared as deeply as he could at seeing Metal Amy simulate 'blushing' and letting her guard down to Sonic, his mortal enemy, who even dared to call her cute in his presence.

"Sonnnnicc…!" he growled out, his head twitching down, as his eyes glowed a brighter red.

Seeing her looking so pleased to amuse him and so eager to 'play along' with her simulated organic emotions and mannerisms, gave him a feeling one might think was unordinary for a robot...

He would never call it jealousy, but in organic terms, that seemed to be the case!


	4. Chapter 4

Metallic Need

Ch. 4

By: Cutegirlmayra (I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW! AUGH! I re-read my chapters and realized I had spelled 'stimulated' instead of 'simulated' (sorry 'bout that. Edits should have taken care of that ;) ) Anyway,… I still love this series. The way Metal Sonic flirts and mocks Metal Amy, and how she tries to stay clever and desperately hold on to trying to be more alive. I admire her for trying to fight her programming, considering that's 'impossible' for most computers. …Most… And now we're back to Metallic Need~)

Metal Amy was in the electric shower, charging herself for when she needed to recharge the others batteries.

She had multiple batteries to refill with adequate energy, as usual, to aid her team in defeating Sonic.

Sonic… She really didn't want to aid in destroying him.

Amy either,... for that matter.

But programming was programming; one couldn't just simply choose for themselves… so it seemed.

As she reverted back to her softer form, she looked at her arm, which was being held lightly by her other hand, and raised it up. She was sort of depressed, having her emotions taken and only be expressed during certain time intervals that changed like a rotating clicker. It would allow errors during, oh let's say, 60 clicks for each second, resulting in one minute of emotions being simulated before completely cutting that code off and returning her to a 'perfect' state as it were.

As her arm rose up, she took her hand already placed on it… and stroked it.

She felt the sensation of the vibrators throughout her arm as she closed her eyes,.. feeling.

Before, with her first status of being, she would have loved feeling more organic. If only it was secretive… and not known to her master.

She wondered again why he would put such a programming in her… and feared his little game of mocking her may have gone too far.

She… she was still afraid of him, but it wasn't exactly for her life anymore.

She had been the victim, as her other metallic brothers were, to his shred-happy ways. And then played the martyr, sacrificing her life so Metal Sonic couldn't have the last laugh, retaining some of her dignity... But still, the fear of 'death' wasn't really there anymore. Then to consider her 'brain' too valuable to scrap by her master… kept her in a permanent state of security about her 'life'. Knowing she would be rebuilt again and again would mean she was eternal; he wouldn't lose her that easily…

She looked down at her new body again, not really understanding how it was 'cute' to Sonic, but she used her knowledge of symmetry and shapes to suppose it was beautiful.

She gently tapped her side, and flinched, feeling the vibration linger slightly. So… this was touch?

It felt odd— to feel.

Something she never thought she could ever experience.

But how would Metal Sonic know how to simulate such a thing…?

Would he have researched this method or just assumed?

Either way… making a robot feel something,… anything at all… was really ground-breaking.

She shook her head, snapping herself out of it as her 'clicks' continued to countdown. She didn't want to compliment him. He designed her this way to amuse himself with her weaknesses, and that really made her upset.

She was torn. She liked to feel organic, but not around him. It used to frighten her… now it just made her embarrassed and frustrated.

she wasn't originally created for his amusement...

She let a deep sigh slip by, though only the action and not actual breath, before looking up and closing her now shining red eyes as the 'clicks' times out. Ever since Metal Sonic reconstructed her to be more robotic, she wished she could willingly make her eyes green again… it was softer, kinder… like Amy…

The lightning strikes of each electric zap also gave her the sensation of recharging, as she tried to let go of her continual fear of Metal Sonic, and think of what her next objective was.

She had to charge his battery next…

She cringed; the last thing she wanted was to be around him right now. He would only insult her and laugh. She was starting to think he wasn't laughing anymore to just mock her… and even his smirking… that maybe…

"Does not compute." She sighed, as suddenly her moment of feeling left her and she was back to being a robot. She lowered her head if Metal Sonic was also having errors, what would that even mean? That his playing with her was… was… what, exactly? He was the master, superior to them all. If he was having errors…

"Does not compute."

Metal Lab

Metal Sonic looked down at his hand, it slid open as he put Metal Amy's old chip into his system, and glared slightly at it, "Still full of errors…" he seemed to feel indifferent to it now though. "Very well. If I am to deal with her erroring, I might as well have fun bringing her old form of thinking back to surface…once… again…" he gently stroked the chip with his clawed thumb, having some mixed feelings about reactivating the chip, but seeming to plan something later on as well…

If he even had feelings...

He clicked the chip back into his sub-sector slit, having multiple backup chip-ports on his hand, as the metal slid back over it. He returned from the lab where his equipment was and where he redesigned his 'support' after they were destroyed, usually by himself, and adjusted his armoring on his hand.

"Metal Tails, what of my mortal enemy…" he had come back to the bridge, the sound of his voice sounding threatening, as he leaned down and put a hand next to where Metal Tails was typing. Metal Tails looked to it, seeing Metal Sonic's claws lengthen and withdraw… like a cat ready to pounce on its prey…

"…He's rather idiotic." Metal Tails stated, looking back at the screen which showed Sonic's head back, mouth open, snoring loudly. "He keeps saying, 'Yawn' and 'When does the action start? Hopefully, soon. You guys are boring. Ha. Ha. Ha. But seriously though, can I get a time or..?' … it's very… annoying." Metal Tails lowered his eyes in annoyance, clearly having to listen to all of Sonic's mumblings and comments, dealing with surveillance on him all… day… long.

Metal Sonic glared deeper. "And the Chaos Emeralds?"

"Metal Knuckles is finding a way to fuse their power with yours as we speak." Metal Tails turned to his master, looking very serious it seemed as he spoke. "To fuse Chaos with you… you shall truly become the ultimate Sonic."

"…" Metal Sonic watched Sonic's loud sleeping body move up and down, breathing… seeming to not have a care in the world for where he was or who he was with.

"It is not your perfection that will defeat him then."

"…Perhaps… I have no need of them."

Metal Sonic leaned up, folding his arms.

Metal Tails looked dumbfounded as he stood up in confusion at his master's words. "I cannot compute. Didn't you want to utilize the Chaos Emeralds, Master?"

"….."

"He could still reasonably take hold of the Chaos energy once you have it nearby to support you. Therefore, he would still turn Super as he did before."

"I had forgotten my original objective."

Metal Sonic closed his eyes for a moment, lowering his head down as he explained, "I was to defeat Sonic by taking all his added strength away… leaving him down to his raw power. By taking away the advantage of his 'friends', I could fight him as he was—inferior to me—as he should be. By taking upon me the Chaos Emeralds, I'd be doing the opposite of my objective. Therefore… I have decided to keep them from him… I shall fight him in his purest state… and then annihilate him in mine."

Metal Sonic slammed his fist down, tightening his hold on it.

"I will rip away all and anything that strengthens him against me… I shall prove to him and the world that I am the ultimate Sonic creation! If I used the Chaos Emeralds… that would be counterproductive to my main objective…"

It seems Metal Amy's reasoning stood out to him a bit, was she affecting his own thinking..?

Or his own ways…?

"…That seems very logical." Metal Tails looked down to the ground, having processed that reasoning, "As expected. You've found the finer route of success, My Master." He bowed humbly, not wanting to offend him or his reasoning…

"…Hmph." Metal Sonic had intensely glared down at his fist, twitching it farther down into the metal frame it had originally slammed into before walking out.

"Check his vital signs… I shall fight him shortly…" He stated as his cape waved behind him and the doors slid shut from his departure.

"Yes… My Master." Metal Tails returned to work.

Metal Sonic stopped himself as he looked back at his hand. "…Metal Amy…"

He had never once changed his mind on his own plan before,... he could even tell that Metal Tails had been surprised by his sudden turnaround.

Usually… he thought he calculated things through too well to be disputed…

He looked to the side, thinking… "She has proven more helpful than I designed her to be. But then… why does that disturb me…" he activated the chip on his arm, searching through it.

Glaring, he started to twitch at seeing how extensive her errors really were. "What is this...this 'heart'?! How has it made you so… so…!" he rose his arm in front of himself and gripped it furiously. He immediately started to download the software, hunching over as the data swarmed throughout him, overwhelming his entire being. He shook with twitching, glitching eyes. In his rage, he felt the memory banks overflow him and his body flinch more violently at the presence of foreign data. He raised his hand to his head in quivering movements as her programming overtook him completely and he winced, squinting his eyes as if in 'pain'. But truly, he was just experiencing something new...His eyes widening as he felt the last thing Metal Amy felt before being destroyed by him…

Fear.

He slowly laughed and kept laughing. Before he finally threw his arms back and held his head up, laughing even harder and louder than before.

"Ah…A 'HEART'!" he cried out, his eyes still shaking after feeling the system kick in again, and he bent over, holding his stomach area as his body twitched and he stepped back.

"All this organic simulation… how did your mind even have room to process it all so clearly…?" he wasn't just amused at how pathetically pitiful her simulation of an organics' 'heart' was, he was also… fascinated… at her level of precision and fine-tuned detail to each and every emotion exhibited.

Her body would shake if she felt an organic would do so, if in fear or sudden realization.

Her eyes shook, her foot would step back… all this programming…

He simulated a 'huff' through the errored programming and stood up, trying to understand her more by actually 'feeling' what she willingly designed in herself to be more organic. He held his arms out, and waited… "Is this how you 'lived'? Studying the organic mannerisms of Amy Rose and Sonic's team to simply… be weak?" his fingers flexed in and out. "Improbable… how could you process so much with the little room I gave you to think? Metal Tails has triple the size of your processing capacity and yet… you still seem to exceed him?" He lunged himself forward, "HOW!?"

He let the program soar through his being, and slowly twitched his hand to his head again, his eyes blazing with coding flying through it, as it seemed….

Even he couldn't process it all completely…

"AHHH!" He stopped the programming, panting… his shoulders rising and falling due to the simulation of the 'heart' programming still being there, just stopped in mid-download.

"How... how did you hide this from me... for so long..?!"

But from what he had… it had thrown him back, as he clung to his other arm and drooped down.

"…She created… all of… this?" he was astonished, but also greatly enraged.

"She allowed errors to consume her… how did she operate? How did she think so fast… so... brilliantly… under such fear of me?" He looked to the side, seeming shocked before he glared, not liking himself looking so weak in the reflection of the plain steel silver of the wall beside him.

He looked forward and lifted his hand up, walking by the wall that held his reflection and slowly began tearing through it like nails to a chalkboard. He put his clawed hand down, leaving the shredded steel for any to see.

"She compensated." He stated, thinking it through. He activated her memories and rewinded them, even to parts where he was present, just to see her thoughts more thoroughly…

"..Ah… you brilliant, beautiful creation…" He smirked, leaning up and closing his eyes. He saw it all. Her fearful thoughts and how well she disguised them through becoming more than she was designed too. "You evolved…" She became strong through her believing to deceive him. She had skillfully mastered the art of 'evasion', but he had already seen through that, she just didn't know it yet. Oh, but still… her mind saw things differently than he did… and he was unsure of how he felt about that.

Did he like her differences? Or did he despise them?

He snickered, looking down, holding a very fond look in his eyes. "How organic of you…"

He saw her love for Amy, and for her brothern, even after Metal Knuckles tried to destroy her. He saw how she noticed the wonder of the universe and saw how different she was from him and the others.

"All I have ever known is destroying Sonic…" he activated a tracer in his system, locating where Metal Amy was, and walking ever so slowly… towards her… "But you were given a different programming… you could see things I couldn't… and now, you are weaker for it." Her incompleteness, in the beginning, gave her errors that granted her sight that he couldn't compute fully, and his interest in the unknown made him desire her more and more… her improbability at having not angered him, but made him enjoy her weaknesses… how did she do it?

By faking life?

The very thing he hated in all organics?

What did she do… how did she do it? To make him so… fond of her imperfections?

How did she achieve the level of brilliance she had with so many errors?

He was not only fascinated by Metal Amy's weakness but also in how she became strong because of it.

There was a strange desire in his eyes as he followed his tracking system, letting his claws shriek against the steel ever so lightly once again. He seemed to desperately wish to see her again... as though in a trance, never wavering his red, blazing eyes from their targetted heading...

"What more could you teach me..? And what more could you become if I let you carry on with your old weaknesses? Will you become even more amusing? Or will you become impractical? Tell me, Metal Amy… what more is there to your flawed allure? …Why do you desire life over perfection? Why do you long to feel things you weren't even designed to feel? It's impossible… for a robot to feel..."

He was drawing closer to her location, and with each step, a more dangerous desire for her came to him…

"Why do you need to be alive?"

He deleted the 'heart' process, as he didn't have enough space in his data core to fully download it. It wasn't even completed yet…

He wanted to understand her reasoning. How she thought so well, how she learned so cleverly to avoid destruction… why she was so overcome with the desire to be organic…

And how on earth did she escape her programming?

"Metal Amy…."

"…!"

In surprise at hearing her name, Metal Amy turned around in the electric shower, having held herself and waited for her long recharge to be over. She had to complete her later objective of recharging the others soon.

"…Master?" her surprise at seeing him was a bit too apparent in her voice, as she stepped back, having another period to show organic emotion. The ticks of time started up, and she began to notice a change in his tone when he said her name.

It was odd... although dark, it was heavy with a low grumble of metallic echoes. Is that what made it sound... full of longing?

He drooped his eyelids, 'Ah… more simulation… why does that now fascinate me even more so? Perhaps… because I fail to understand why a being meant to want perfection… could desire such flaws? I experienced her flaws firsthand, and I still can't comprehend her processing...' he thought, wanting more and more to be closer to her, as he walked further up the steps...

"…What are you doing?" Metal Amy inquired, worried from his deep, fixated stare on her; and how he was inching ever closer to the large tubed containment field where she was being recharged. She held her arm over herself defensively as he tapped on the surface of the tube.

"Knock knock."

"What do you want?"

"To see you… to get to know that… interesting brain of yours…"

His voice was different than usual for certain… the desire in it was something she couldn't compute, as she blinked her eyes a few times, before her time limit was up.

"You can see me fine from there."

She straightened up, as suspicion immediately flew into her mind.

'Trap.'

He had done something like this before…

'It's a trap.'

She wouldn't be fooled twice.

'Trapped.'

He tilted his head, lowering his eyelids even further as he heard the silent hostility in her voice.

And loved it.

"Come now,… Metal Amy…" he almost cooed, lowering his head towards the surface of the electric shower's clear, curved wall in a cheeky but… concerning way that made Metal Amy begin to grow frightened... she couldn't compute what he wanted or what was wrong.

Nor, at this current time, could she express it.

Not that she wanted too...

"Let me in."

Metal Amy's body made her stand upright, shocking her into place as an order was given, and her programming forced her to obey.

With reluctance from her mind, her body still promptly shut the electric shower down momentarily, through a wireless emergency command, as the shocks stopped but the doors opened, and Metal Sonic walked in... slowly...

She wondered if this was the walk of execution... but doubted it.

He was too fond of her now... so prehaps... he wanted to play torture?

"Thank you." he simulated a grin, and moved closer. "Now… proceed."

She stood still for a moment, not sure what to make of him, nor of what he was doing…

She activated the electric shower again, and stepped away from him, closing her eyes for only a moment as her mind was racing out of control, knowing there was something seriously wrong with this situation… and the way he was acting…

She had to be cautious.

He watched her intently, looking over design as she purposefully kept away from him, posistioning herself in another direction away from his admiring, wandering eyes...

"You could have waited. Isn't that the logical thing to-"

"Don't speak to me of logic now, Metal Amy... You are not one to speak of such things… well… in your current state, I suppose it's appropriate too." He followed his gaze after her, as his systems recharged.

"…What do you mean?" She turned around, confused by his words. Was he speaking of her time-limited, robotically logical state?

"…First of all." He stepped forward, "I am unfond of you lying to me." He glared up at her, still having his head low, showing how hostile he could get in a matter of seconds.

"…When have I-?"

"Sonic the Hedgehog is the enemy. And you swore to me you'd only show your 'weaknesses' to me… and no one else." He tightened his fists to his sides, showing how displeased he was at her being 'kind' to Sonic.

"…I'm sorry." She looked down. Did she really promise that? Weren't promises organic? "I remeber telling you I'd use it against them-"

"No, you're not. The enemy of my enemy is my friend… is that not so?" Metal Sonic took another step. "He offered you freedom. Something you used to desire. And if I recall… you hate me." He stood in front of her, the intensity of his voice and how close he was made her mind fear him, but her body could not show such emotion at this time.

"…I cannot compute hatred for you, Master. Doing such would go against programming." She stated, but her mind knew better…

"Oh?" he tilted his head slowly, loathing that she wasn't able to speak what he knew she wished too. Unable to be weak at the moment, he knew that short moment of freedom wasn't activated quite yet in her systems.

"It seemed you constantly thought of going against programming… was I not on the list?" he chuckled, mocking her or… perhaps… letting himself be free… for a moment?

"You're programming makes sure you cannot disobey me, that also includes betrayal." He reached up and grabbed her face, covering it as he usually did with his whole clawed hand, to where you couldn't even see her face anymore. He was showing how truly mad he was at her little 'act' towards Sonic… and how displeased he was at seeing it. "Let me make it slightly more apparent…" You are mine.

"N-no need. I compute." Metal Amy didn't want anymore orders to destroy on sight, like with Amy Rose. She reached up, having that moment to be organic again, and grabbed his hand. "You will be destroying him soon. There is no need for me to see him again!"

"…." He stared at her… waiting for the brilliance… "Go on..."

He squeezed her face tighter in.

"Convice me..." Beg me...

"Y-you are the… the only Sonic!"

Both her hands came up, grabbing his arm as she felt the same fear for her life again, not sure why he was so upset at her interaction to Sonic, only that he didn't like how friendly she was to him.

Was he..?

He couldn't be. It would be organic to be…

Jealous? Maybe envious? Of how she treated Sonic so… so colorfully?

"Was I not doing as I stated?" sge tugged against him, realizing this wasn't a game... it was a gamble! "Did he not believe me?"

He raised an eyebrow, "So… your way of 'avoiding' death this time… is through appeasement?" He had already seen this act done before, "Trying to change my mind about your intentions... again?" He wasn't going to fall for it again.

He lengthened his claws as they began to spike into her, denting the metal and leaving some small spiked holes, but only slightly… Not causing any real damage... not yet.

"Try again."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Show me the extent of thinking in you now! How do you process? Are you unable to because I have taken away your errors? Is that why you bore me?!" he flung her down and away from him. The sliding metal plate that opened to his chip-storage on his hand retracted and popped out her flawed memory chip.

She slowly got up, seeing him peering down at her as she touched her face.

It was slightly dented in, but nothing she couldn't just hit out.

The holes were so faint and minuscule that she could close them easily with some heat.

She quickly adjusted her face with her inner-repair system, as it was a new feature…

As if Metal Sonic programmed that in her knowing he'd be tossing her around.

She was about to activate her battle form, able to simply because injury was inflicted, hoping she could before he would catch on and shut it off, but…

"Does this entice you to me?" Metal Sonic held up her old data chip,… holding her true self, quite literally, in his hands… as she saw it, anyway.

Her eyes widened, standing on one knee as she looked at it in amazement. "You… you kept it operational?" she was amazed he wouldn't discard it as trash.

He moved it left and right on his claws, which he shortened, and let her look at it from all sides. Letting her know it was really the same data chip, he wanted to reveal he held 'all the cards in his hands'... so to speak.

"No… I didn't destroy it. It held too much information to simply just be thrown away." He moved it back to the palm of his hand and walked a bit away from her. "If you want to be errored again… I'll let you stay imperfect." His bargaining had to have a catch, she just knew it.

Lightning rods as they were, as he stepped away, the bolts concentrated away from them and started scattering everywhere. Their zapping noises collided with the walls and left a light hum of chaos for a moment before settling down...

A true, shocking quip of dramatic flair for the hope she had long given up on.

The crackling subsided as his gaze on her became more desirous. There was something she had that he wanted... but what?

Her Master wasn't one to negotiate like this... he usually just took what he wanted... So what was he that he wanted to so much... that he couldn't just command of her for?

She was once again taken aback by his actions, watching him walk around as she got up. "Does not compute. I cannot find your reasoning-" she stopped herself, as Metal Sonic watched her eyes move down and then left and right… thinking it through.

He stood straighter,… waiting… wanting to see what she would think…

"…You have no further use of me." She looked away. "I am nothing more now than a toy."

He closed his eyes, smiling. "No… but close." He walked forward and held out his hand. "Oh well." He seemed about to squish the chip into pieces.

"NO!" she ran forward, as he stopped and looked back to her, removing the chip from even being near her grasps...

"Care to guess again?" he teased, "Show me that even with your errors… you can still be of use to me." He waited, what would she re-evaluate about her current theory?

"…" she looked away and stepped back, hands to her sides, trying to understand what he wanted… eyes shifting around for an answer again,… and then…

"…!" She looked up, eyes widened, before slowly motioning her eyes back to him in front of her and to the side, glaring…

"…Loyalty."

"Oh..?"

"You want me to be fully loyal to you. You want a sign of loyalty due to my apparent friendliness with Sonic."

"…Very good."

He lowered his eyelids, pleased that she wasn't disappointing him, as he wanted to have a good time.

He held the chip out to her.

"If you want it… convince me to give it you."

He stepped forward and leaned toward her again, pulling the chip back towards his chest.

"Woo me…"

"…What?" She was being too organic again, stepping back at her confusion to his words, before correcting herself, "I mean, does not compute!" she shook her head, the errors were clearly out again, but how long would they last…?

Metal Sonic smiled, liking to see the simulation so strong in her still… and that even if he shaved the errors down, she could still be amusingly weak…

"Did you not receive my command?" Oh no he didn't…

Metal Amy grew worried and fearful.

"B-but.. how am I to-?"

"You were given an order… you have a time limit." He waited, knowing that she must obey the order or her body will force her to obey it.

Her systems frantically searched for a way to obey the order, but the only solution they found were-

Errors.

Her errors were allowed to stay, at least, to obey the order.

She moved over to him, looking at his hand as he could see how desperately she did want that freedom that he held for her… If she just played this right.

She could take it… he would allow her to 'live' with errors… but there was always a price.

She looked up and slid her mouthpiece back to show the black slate receptor on it.

"….Fascinating." Metal Sonic smiled. "But allowing me to activate that programming is nothing new. That's still forced obedience…" he stepped forward, as their bodies magnetized from all the electricity around them.

Now the horde of electricity was once again centralized upon them. The sensation of that alone was pleasing... but Metal Sonic wanted more...

"Ah..!" she was flung to him from the magnetic pull, as he seemed to find that amusing too, and mocked a laugh.

Their batteries were charging at opposite ends, meaning… Negative and positive energies attract…

"Well, this is better… but still not by your own will…" he looked seductively at her, tilting his head and using his free hand to move some of her fabricated quills, as she still couldn't understand the look he was giving her.

"I'm… I'm unsure if something organic is what you want." She admitted she was going to obey through an error, as she looked forward and away from him. She ducked her head down, afraid of what he may say to that. Her hands moved up to his chest piece, feeling the electrical circuits in him as he charged…

She had never been this close and intimate with him before…

With anything...

"Well… I suppose that's just very you then…" He lifted his hand up, fighting the magnetism to touch her bending metal quills, and the sensation of touch almost 'tickled' her head, as she tried to ignore it. "Be clever, Metal Amy… be ever so clever…" his eyes were closed, enjoying the moment as he knew how much she hated and feared him. His metal head rolled through the magnetic pull along her forehead, hearing faintly the drumming of the poles inside of her enhance the sensation into 'touch' as best it could.

He loved that.

He loved her futile resistance as she tried to ignore the simulation of pleasure.

It just made him want to toy with her even more…

She knew he was warning her… if she didn't prove her loyalty to him, he would think her errors too dangerous to keep. She had to convince him she could still work for his plans against Sonic and all humanity while still being errored, even if it was just for his amusement!

She simulated a deep breath, and looked up, glaring. "Fine. I shall tolerate your desire to humiliate me. I shall become what you seem to desire so much from me."

He tilted his head, letting the quill he held so wickedly gentle in his claw slip from it, as his intrigue grew in her. "And what would that be..?"

The quill tried to magnetize back, and for a moment, he allowed it. Fiddling with it against the back of his hand and toying with her as he twirled his metal claws along it, before fully pulling back. This caused a tug on her head and she lurched forward slightly, but immediately freed herself from that powerful pull towards his muzzle...

She was still fighting... even though she knew she couldn't anymore.

"…Impossibly illogical." She gave in, at last, leaning up and placing her receptor on the side of his muzzle, tracing it down and to the side at an angle.

A spark polarized and was clearly seen between her slate and his muzzle, causing the vibration in her but also close enough to charge and have Metal Sonic feel her body moving and pulsing with his power too... draining and recharging... he knew it was much worse for her though...

She could feel much more than he could.

The light yellow suddenly turned blue at the intensity of how much electricity she was releasing, a contrast to the golden and bright white streaks shooting around them. It let out a hum of electrical current through the air, before finally joining fully to his muzzle as the electricity now moved through their metal frame... tickling the insides of their systems near their mouthpieces...

She had seen Amy watching romance movies… she figured, since she was this close anyway, and since Metal Sonic might not know she was simulating lover's attraction, she might be able to get her data chip by confusing him.

Unfortunate for her, Metal Sonic wasn't stupid.

He knew what she was simulating…

"How… incredibly kind of you…" he almost metallic rang out a purr, as he moved into her electric current on her receptor, and even cut a wire loose from its plug inside him, and moved it to his mouth, simulating a returning electrical current.

The feel of electricity upon electricity formed heat at her muzzle, and in surprise, she tried to move back.

She wasn't expecting him to re-enact anything back, or even give in to the pretend...

Breaking free from the magnetism, she pushed away from him and held the back of her hand to her mouthpiece, singed by the double electrical power that was released on it.

His mouthpiece steamed a little as his gaze turned fixated; predatorial as he readied to return to her, rubbing his spiked shard finger on his mouthpiece, as his eyes grew a brighter red. "Well… that was interesting." He walked forward, narrowing his eyes as he clearly didn't seem done with her just yet.

"Enough! I have proven loyalty!" She blasted through her speakers, her confusion over his actions and desire to continue the action made her grow even more afraid. What was he after? She had already shown she was willing to do anything… "What more do you want!?"

"…You." He rammed into her, pushing her against the clear, crescent wall of the electrical shower as he triggered her touch system, and pulled her closer to him, still simulating the electrical kiss…

Sparks flew like powerful explosions around the two metal beings, as the electrical shower was getting to a critical state, about to overflow with electrical power.

He moved his hand over her back, and the magnetism drew the electrical shocks all in that general location; but it also repelled some of them, having them fly all over the place, even going backwards and up, hitting the top of the electrical shower…

He felt every detail of her crevices and bends and moved his mouthpiece down to shock more of the side of her head. He kept exploring his 'handy work' of her design. He made sure not to leave a mark, his claws withdrawing to be nothing of a threat, but only simply to touch… as to not leave a scratch. He wanted to try and make her feel the touch so powerfully throughout her being, that she couldn't escape it like she had tried beforehand...

He wanted her to want this... that he was the sole provider of what she longed for... the organic experience only he could allow her to have. Feeling...

If she was submissive to it, then she could have whatever she desired, even her flawed self. So long as she obeyed him fully and was loyal to him over any other offers of freedom she may receive in the future...

He, himself, could only feel the electrical surges though. The recharging and discharging of electricity, pushing more of his power out and to her, as she was forced to take in all that extra power. But with her back up electricity, she pushed double the force of electrical power into him.

But he still wanted to make her 'feel' her inferiority.

Or at least as close as possible to the amount they could simulate... which... wasn't a bad amount at all.

To remind her that he was better, still in control over her… but most importantly…

She was his and his alone… that he could do what he pleased with her because he created her to serve whatever purpose he wanted her too. Or wanted her for.

He hated the fact that she was so 'kind' to Sonic, his mortal, organic enemy... showing her errors as if she was happy to please him. That hatred led him to want her to prove she could be even 'kinder' to him. Proving that he did have the authority over her and that she wasn't Sonic's to amuse…

He wasn't just being nice with giving her that data chip back either.

He wanted to know more of the extent to which her errors could take her… Where they could lead her too... and he wanted to know what she would do with such inferior power.

For some reason… the sensation of the moment caused Metal Amy to not know how to feel… She didn't know if this was a good or bad thing… but her confusion made her afraid.

Wasn't this… kissing?

Wasn't he stroking and pulling her against him like… like an organic would do?

With his mate?

She was overflowing with electrical power, being pushed into her as she was forced to push it out or she'd explode with too much energy, same with him.

For some reason, she lost her fear and felt more curious about the whole sensation. She wanted to feel more. And if he gave her more feeling, maybe… maybe she could finally feel alive.

Without realizing it... she fell for his mousetrap.

Mimicking more of an organic romance, but also what he was doing as well, she tried to feel more of him. To find more, to truly know his body and shapes… most were dangerously too spiky to touch, but she could feel his engine purring beneath her sensories… he was really pushing her up against the wall, just in case she might try to fight back and escape him.

Surprisingly… she wasn't fighting back… she was playing back. 'Kissing' him and moving herself to be better positioned to him.

Why..? She couldn't really think about that right now. There were too many other things happening to wonder why she was submitting to him so willingly, but she was ordered to show her loyalty… and he did say 'woo'…

But how do you 'woo' a robot? So she mimicked what an organic would do to allure one to another.

And she… she still didn't know what to make of all the sensations; it was a bit too much to process. Thinking of why he wanted this, of what made him seem to join in, computing the touch system's sensations, the capacity of how much electricity she could withstand and expel at any given time, how long her 'ticks' would allow her to think and sort things out while also taking in so much organic erroring... so many things…

But mostly… he was on her mind.

As the electrical exchanged continued to increase, Metal Amy decided to completely expel a powerful electrical shock out of her body. She flung her head back, letting out a metallic ring as he dug the opening she gave him. This would allow more of his electrical power in, as he expelled his own to make room for the amount she was pushing into him and out of her as well. She could withstand most of his electrical charging, considering she had multiple batteries, he didn't. In hindsight, he could as well have exploded from her electrical overload on him as well, but he was doing brilliantly at keeping the exchange to where his whole body was rotating energy in and out, which felt like a never-ending revolving door of pleasure. This whole balance of electric power began to affect the electrical shower as it started to show signs of an overload.

She finally released her grip on him, slowly slipping down but he pulled her back up and deeper into his embrace, as if not caring how much she could or couldn't take. It was mostly mental... she couldn't process it all or even continue her exploration when the 'ticks' prohibited her every so often.

How long were they there..? Entangled in each other and in the rapidly spiraling out of control electricity around them?

She wrapped her arms around his head and felt him mimic her last explosive electrical expel, releasing energy that surged through her body as a metallic ring carried his engine's reeving through the shower's room...

Everything intensified from the rush of continual energy and she couldn't fully compute anything anymore.

Was she malfunctioning? She could barely move now...

However, exchange of such magnitude and power between the two was undeniably rapturing for both of them.

But, once again, Metal Amy was equipped to take more of the sensation, whereas Metal Sonic would never allow such inferior designs in himself...

This was probably the closest a robot could get to feeling attracted to something, to feel what it felt like to long for another, to long for the pleasure of the sensation of a kiss…

The closest… to lust Metal Sonic may ever get…

The electrical shower exploded then. Electricity was blasted at the same time by both the machines, bouncing off of them and colliding at the top where the energy was dispersed from. As Metal Sonic pulled away, he looked up at the machine's gauge meter, seeing it was at red before dying down to nothing as the top half burst. The spindle veered off as the whole of the shower began to burst with explosions. They needed to get out, but the room shouldn't collapse.

In all seriousness, Metal Sonic reverted his blaring red eyes back to normal, looking at Metal Amy to see her eyes blaring red as well... had he succeeded in taking her liberty away? Pulling her loyalties to him forever?

Well,... for now, he had to make sure she survived.

Still seeming unable to properly function and see the danger, he grabbed Metal Amy and jumped, firing his jets on his shoes and flying up through the top; holding out his free hand to blast away any debris coming down on them.

That whole moment seemed… very familiar to Metal Amy, as she looked down to her hands, which were looped around and clinging to Metal Sonic as he seemed to be trying to protect or save her from the crashing metal tons of machinery.

As he landed on the ground, Metal Amy clung to him, not sure what had just happened between them but knowing it was certainly an organic matter…

He had showed error.

Or at least... that he was capable of succumbing to it.

But was she bold enough to mention it..?

His mouth was still sparking, as he looked down at it with his eyes, and Metal Amy could hear the wire zip back and get reconnected to wherever it was meant to go.

"Don't say a word to the others." He stated, as Metal Amy instantly was forced to obey. Her programming locking the data and memory away from ever being spoken about again.

She was starting to come too, blinking her eyes before feeling the 'ticks' of her timelimit leave her emotionless and stoic again. Why..? She almost felt like... 'felt'... did she really not want it to stop? Or was it something he had done to her? She was even more afraid now... not just of him, nor his power and the extent of what he would be willing to do to receive pleasure and amusement out of her... but also of herself.

She admitted to enjoying him playing along.

Why was that? How could she betray her 'heart system'? Her true self would have known better than to fall for that prison. But still... her systems seemed to roar in defiance at the strangeness of it all. She was fully charged but also felt her systems overheating. It all felt unnatural for her functions to endure such a heavy load of electricity having circled through them so quickly and out so forcibly... but in the moment, it was exciting. It 'felt'! She could understand organics and why they always wanted to be close to another organic! The sensation... was almost addicting to remember and relive it in her moments of downloading the memories away as his command had dictated. What had happened to herself..? To him? Them? Was there now a them? Did he..?

He turned to her, and gently stroked her face. "What you may think of me… is flawed." He stated. He must have known she thought his actions were errors, and seemed to correct her thinking without explaining his reasons as to why that was. He then tilted his head, "But I rather like you… do not disappoint me." He threw her the chip that miraculously was still in his hand, undamaged...

Was he protecting it from the harmful electrical surges this whole time?

She blinked her eyes before reaching for the chip in the air, fumbling a little before securing it in her hands.

Did he just... love her?

He stared at her a moment, having moved his hand.

She dared to look back up at him, in awe and wonderment.

Could... he love her?

Had he changed so drastically?

She remembered a horrible truth then...

He stood up.

Walking away as if nothing had happened.

Metal Amy watched him depart in complete confusion. Her mind was in madness with trying to compute what that was, and was that just him mocking her? Why did she engage and mimic more organic 'love' movements with her hands and arms when he engaged her back?

Why did he engage back?

She knew he was a robot, He wouldn't change. But perhaps it was her only way of thinking she could prove loyalty to him… by showing the greatest amount of weakness to him?

She submitted to his will, but it still felt like it was forced, due to the sensations triggering her interest in keeping the actions going…

Touch… and recharging… it had all lead to her not fighting him away.

It wasn't him that she stayed engaged for…

It was feeling like she was alive through him…

She had felt more alive and organic than she had ever felt in her entire existence.

That must be it.

It couldn't possibly have been wanting him to accept her, or to 'feel' something for her like Amy desired for Sonic to feel towards her.

Then her limit broke.

She had returned to a robotic state.

The touch sensation lingered but was fading…

'Noo… nooo!' she looked down to her data chip, and touched her lower quill on her head, making the top half just above her eyes flip open as she engaged only her muscle memory and programmed it what to do.

Then…

Fizzy, brain dead.

Before…

She felt her old self download and spark to life, her eyes flickered on to show she was processing her sight again and looked down at her hand.

"…" she crushed the old chip, having already stored her current memories and started downloading that back into her data core.

She was free from that robotic prison!

All she needed to do now was…

She looked down and let the pieces of her old data chip crumble to the ground, before spinning her frame in the direction Metal Sonic had departed in.

Prove she could still operate and function for Metal Sonic's plans!

After all... she had her 'heart' now.

She had her green eyes brightly revert back from the red they had once shown.

Later that Day

Sonic was still bored as ever till he heard fighting outside his unit, before hearing a big, "GRAH!" and seeing a metal dent the shape of Knuckles's silhouette slam into the front wall.

He let out a big grin as he saw his friend bust the door down. "Oh good! I thought that might be you." he teased, gesturing with his head and looking to the indentation on the wall in front of him.

"Heh, Metal Me's got nothin' on the real deal." Knuckles pounded his fists together, and ran to Sonic, trying to rip the chains away, but failing at it.

"Ehh…maybe these chains have something though." Sonic disappointedly stated.

Tails flew in, "Here! Us this-waaahhhh-ooo!" Tails threw Knuckles a cutting torch tool before Metal Tails flung into him, spiraling them off into the distance and outside the viewpoint of the doorframe.

"Tails!" Sonic called, as Knuckles picked up the cutting torch, and turned it on.

Sonic's eyes widened. "N-n-no-no-no, I don't trust you with ANY flaming, mechanically harmful objects!" Sonic shook his head, kicking his legs to push him back against the wall as he cowered at Knuckles's frame coming toward him.

"Just hold still…" He evilly chuckled.

"YOU DON'T CHUCKLE!" Sonic cried out, "NOOOO!" as Knuckles began to use the tool torch to burn through the massive amounts of chains on him.

After Sonic was freed, the three tried to dash away, before they were stopped by Metal Sonic, just casually walking out before his eyes widened at seeing Sonic out and about.

"But-..! The alarm!" he spun in their direction, eyes blazing red, claws out in furious anger.

"By the look on your face, I'd say it is." Sonic slyly countered, before Metal Sonic roared in defiance and charged him.

"They've got the Chaos Emeralds!" Tails called as he pointed up to show Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles fleeing through the air to get out of the building. Leaving Sonic to their Master, as they were wirelessly instructed to do, as well as was protocol.

Metal Amy walked out to find the war at hand, and waited for command, seeing no one was seriously harmed yet.

"Ah! It's the Metal Amy!" Tails noticed her too, and then looked to Knuckles. "You see where those two are headed with the Chaos Emeralds, I'll try and talk to her." He rushed to her, as she stepped back.

Worriedly, she thought if Metal Sonic saw her affiliating with Tails, he may grow upset with her again… and after that explosion of aggression and his actions to keep her devoted to him…

"I..I must go!" she ran off, as Tails looked confused, and raced after her, spinning his tails quickly to keep up.

"H-hey, wait! Come back!"

She continued to flee as Tails continued to follow, calling out to her, "I just want to talk to you!" The sounds and crashes of Sonic and Metal Sonic's fight rang through the halls as she charged up her jets and flew out of the building.

She landed in a meadow and waited to make sure Metal Sonic was out of sonar reach and wireless connection range.

Miraculously, Tails was able to follow her fairly well. She figured as much since he was the sidekick to an incredibly speedy, blue, and organic hedgehog.

"Phew! You sure are hard to catch up too." Tails landed, as Metal Amy still couldn't compute betraying Metal Sonic... not after everything that had just occurred between the two of them.

Her curiosity was peaked, and she hated herself for giving in to such a temptation. Especially since it now held her even more to his whims and fancies... but also to hers as well.

"I cannot come with you." she stated, knowing full well what he was going to ask her.

"Huh? How come?" Tails asked, looking surprised at hearing her say that. "I thought Amy said you-"

"I cannot go against my master… he gets… angered easily." She looked away, now that she was free to act the way she wanted too, she felt she had no reason to really hate Metal Sonic… although… he did still terrify her. "He now allows me to be organic. I cannot betray that trust. Plus, I cannot compute any action against the wishes of my programming to carry nothing but strict obedience to my Master, Metal Sonic." She held her hand to her chest, trying to convey her conviction, as Amy once did with her. "I no longer need 'Faith' as it were. I have 'Heart'… I can freely use it. I have no reason to-"

"Faith? Heart?" Tails looked perplexed, unable to follow her explanations. But he tried to understand this strange robot, much like how he came to accept Omega, another one of Amy's 'similar' prospects or... projects.

"Let me start again.." he thought maybe she was the one who was confused. "I'm going to rebuild you to be free, away from Metal Sonic's grasp. I'll even give you more of the 'heart' Amy was talking about that you wanted."

"…'Heart'…" Metal Amy desperately wanted more than anything to have more of what the organic creatures had. Real emotions… a beating heart… even blood. "How could you give me that?"

"W-well…" Tails had to think strategically. She had just stated that she couldn't betray Metal Sonic… he had to trick her somehow… manipulate her even…

"If you come with me, I'll give you a heart." He stated.

"…Does not compute. I cannot betray-"

"You won't be betraying him! You see… I'll give this to you freely… but you have to let me take you back with me. WITHOUT hurting anyone." He held out his hands, trying to show her she needed to surrender freely. "You can return to Metal's hideout once I finish my adjustments on you." he stated, looking kindly to her, but also concerned. Hoping she didn't see through him… he tried one more thing. "Amy says you want to feel more, right? Isn't spending some extra time with us… so closely, more helpful to your study of organic emotions?"

She was dumbfounded. He would let her have a 'heart' and return to Metal Sonic… for nothing?

But everything has a price… She knew that more today than any other time in her existence.

"…What must I do to obtain this agreement?" she asked, looking sorrowfully suspicious at Tails. She could tell Metal Sonic it was for research into spying on them, to gather more data and to prove even further loyalty to him... but she still didn't want to destroy them!

It was conflicting, what her real objective should be versus what her real intentions were wanting out of this exchange of information and ability.

"..Huh?" Tails was worried she caught on but played innocent. "What do you mean?" he sweated a lot but tried to fake that he was calm.

She was reading his vital signs and heat signatures, she knew he was growing nervous…

"What do you require of me to receive this gift?" she asked again, restating.

A gift... is that what Metal Sonic had given her? Through the sensation of 'touch' and her old data chip back...

She held herself a moment, still conflicted, trying to fool her own systems processing and programming would be even more tricky in her new body...

"Uhh… you not to kill me?" He shrugged, looking away for a moment, before back to her. "I'm kinda doing this just to give you a chance here…"

"A…chance?"

"You know, a moment to be what you want to be. Technology isn't perfect,… but I can at least give the freedom from his judgment. Will you come with me..?" he extended his hand, walking carefully closer to her.

Out of reflex, her battle mode engaged.

"AH!" seeing her change into a scary form, Tails ran and ducked behind a rock, before peeking out again. "Hey! I wasn't trying to hurt you!" he cried out.

"..I… I am afraid." Metal Amy stated. Her body shook violently. On one hand, she could part ways with Tails, maybe even bring him to Metal Sonic as an offering. He may reward her again... NO!

That's not what she needed!

But for some reason...

She looked down, everything in her wanted more. More from Tails, more from Metal Sonic... but only Tails could give her the 'heart' she wanted so badly.

But only Metal Sonic could allow her to use it so...

Perfectly...

"…Afraid? Afraid of what?" he walked a little out from the rock, completely intrigued she could feel fear. Or at least… understand what the emotion of fear would be.

"…Nothing is for free." She looked away, "My Master will be displeased about my departure…"

"He won't know! I mean… he's kinda got his metal hands tied up in other affairs, to be honest." Tails humorously pointed a thumb over his shoulder, showing Eggman's wild raving and 'yahoo!'ing in saying, 'Ittttttt's daddy!' onto their HQ as Tails seemed to be making his point. "Haha! Eggman has a thing or two to 'discuss' with him." he laughed with the 'bunny ears' over that word, but she didn't really know what he was trying to imply. "Come on,… I promise you freedom. What would Metal Sonic promise you?"

"…The same." She stepped back. "He promised me the same…"

"…And… do you trust… his promises?"

She couldn't answer that.

"Does not compute."

"His agreements… does he honor them? Do you believe he would?"

She realized right then and there what this was.

"I cannot go against Metal Sonic."

"….I tried." Tails shrugged… before glaring and looking determined.

"But I have to take you. Whether you like it or not. We need to know what Metal Sonic's planning, and you're the only lead in we've got! Now, Amy!" Tails cried out.

Metal Amy was shocked, realizing she had been played as Amy ran through the bushes, having caught up to where they were located, and dashed out with her hammer out.

"HYYYYAHHHH!" she slammed down but Metal Amy dodged, as her order from Metal Sonic engaged. "Sorry!" she apologized? "Nothing personal!"

"You..! No! Now I must destroy you!" Metal Amy admitted, feeling her systems force her to extract her own Hammer and get ready to fight.

"I know you don't really want too." Amy got up, and situated herself in a fighting stance. "I know you can't choose what you want, because Metal Sonic's controlling you. But don't you worry one bit! Tails and I will fix you up and give you the life you want! A life of free will!" She charged forward, as Metal Amy was forced into fighting the one thing she never wanted to destroy…

Her fascination with Amy Rose… Would be her doom.

(Whelp. –looks at the clock and stops typing, seeing the 4 AM on it, and looking back at the computer- That was a rush, from start to finish. So much tension and 'electrifying' moments, teehee~ I can't wait to really 'shock' you guys with this chapter. I'm just 'surging' with anticipation! Review, continue, and stay tuned for more exciting chapters of Metallic Need! :D EDITED NOTE: WHOOOOOO... It seems everytime I edit, I always include something more into the mixture... I hope you gave you long time fans more insight into the characters as they develop. I love Sonic's lines XD Amy's are great too, but that Electric Shower scene... -sighs- It's just robots, but it's still weird to write! -shivers- anyway! I hope you enjoy! :Db Stay tuned for more edits and season 2, coming when they're all done! ;D)


	5. Chapter 5

Metallic Need

Ch. 5

By: Cutegirlmayra (I'm trying to get this done, lol XD But all I want to do is write more of Pokemon Daycare! haha I'm sorry, but not really? I told myself I need to write this chapter before I do Pokemon Daycare's next chapter, so that way I'm more motivated to write it. hehe making deals in my head~ anyway, enjoy~ :3 EDITS: Tried to unify it and get some hints into Season 2 coming soon. So... enjoy the edits! :3c )

Metal Amy and Amy Rose fought in a clash of balanced power, flinging one another back on occasion, and seeming to truly try and weaken the other into defeat.

Metal Amy's eyes showed screens of data as she fought. Each of her programmed, precisioned steps and attacks all aimed to end Amy's life.

The saddest part of it all was that she could tell that Amy was holding back her swings, only trying to damage her and nothing more.

To capture her while Metal Any was down? To give Tails his chance to recreate her as Metal Sonic would do. To refine her into whatever was necessary to their wills.

Though she was sure his hands wouldn't destroy her as Metal Sonic's cruel touch often brought. Still... she quietly hoped Amy would win.

But it was improbable, and highly unlikely.

'To destroy you…' Metal Amy thought, swinging her hammer around and blocking an on-coming attack. '…Would be like destroying a precious dream…' She rebounded with a powerful kick to have Amy lose her balance, then served her hammer up into a powerful hit like a golfer would with his club. Amy went flying upwards as Tails cried out to her.

"Amy!"

Metal Amy jumped and activated her jets, continually hitting combos on Amy as she was at a loss for defensive counters while within the air.

'I've always admired you.'

With every swing and hit, the sorrow in Metal Amy's face grew; However, her body had its orders, and she had no choice…

Amy fell to the ground, rolling a bit and bouncing before finally coming to a halt. Struggling to get up, she saw Metal Amy approaching her to deal the final blow…

'I've envied you, treasured you… mimicked you to the littlest detail… to destroy you now… would be admitting Metal Sonic won.'

She raised her hammer high. Her eyes flickering between red and green. Robot,... and the 'heart' software she was reunited with.

It made this all the more tragic and heartbreaking...

'That all I've ever wanted is nothing compared to my objectives given by my Master… that I am… never to be… anything but… what he.. desires.. me to … to…'

Her arm twitched as Amy noticed through her shielding hands that hung up to block any further attack, peeking through a slit in her bent arms, that Metal Amy was hesitating.

"If you come into contact with Amy Rose again… you are to attack her… destroy her until there's nothing left or given alternative instruction. Understood?"

"G…Goodbye… Amy… Rose."

"Not while I'm standing here! Hah!"

Tails threw a last-minute device he created, 'This has to do it!' he thought as he had taken his various tech that was on him and constructed a makeshift electrical reversal whilst the two fought.

"Gah…AHHHH!" The device latched onto Metal Amy like a parasite, drilling itself a little deeper into her systems, before blasting out a magnetic disruptor that took all her electricity and flowed it backwards. Metal Amy was shocked with the reverse flow of harmful electrical energy. It shot through and short-circuited her functions like thunder escaping out of her metallic body, destroying her systems internally that were meant to push it along, having it flung back out of her in unnatural ways. The magnet, not withholding anything back, began to electrocute her from the inside out. It attacked her power boxes as they jammed with too much power coming in the opposite direction, not able to disperse it out correctly. Since their primary design was to push power out, not contain it, the electricity had nowhere else to go and exploded. Multiple systems began to short-fuse, causing many explosions on all parts of her exterior. She lost her ability to move her arm, her body, everything... sight and hearing... it was starting to all blast from within her like the meteors in space, tearing her apart. Her multiple batteries started frying and becoming obsolete. This was the end.

"I…I-erk… H-help…bzzzz." Metal Amy sent out a distress call before falling to the ground, twitching from the electric override that literally stunned her body into malfunctioning. Her voice box was damaged too, and almost everything else, as her head seemed to be going through an emergency shut down. Her eyes flashed a red 'WARNING' sign over and over again as she panicked, but her senses started to slowly fade off… much like her consciousness.

Her body twitched more softly now, but more explosions kept going off. One battery failure turned into two that were now crushed and exploding. Smoke and fried metal... was this the freedom Organic Tails had spoke of?

The last of her reserved batteries were being overflowed.

"M-Met...al...Son...ic..."

She could feel her master's wavelength, trying to find out what was happening.

Why was his signal so... comforting to her in the end?

Was it because she was so accustomed to death by his familiar steel, cold hands? And now, a stranger has taken that place, leaving her to wonder what will become of her?

At least in his hands... she knew she would awaken again.

At least... his hands... held and traced her... a dark admiring of power over life and death, beauty and loss.

Was she scared because something was taken her away that wasn't by her master's doing?

Or was it... something more... more than a robot could understand.

Her red eyes faded to grey.

"I..I did it... I won!" Tails jumped happily up in the air, fist pumping the sky.

"We beat her!"

"Metal Me…"

Amy moved closer to the deactivated robot counterfeit, and placed her burnt head gently to her lap, turning her over. "Will… will she be okay?" Even after that brutal fight, Amy's kind and loving gaze still held for Metal Amy, feeling sorry for her being forced to fight when she knew that's not what she really wanted.

"Oh, uh.." Tails scratched his head, coming over and realizing this robot meant a lot to Amy. For some reason, Amy had a history of really caring about misunderstood villains… "She's been pretty damaged... But if I change the circuitry and electrical outlets, maybe batteries too, I think I'll have her running in less than two days from now." Tails calculated and gave her a confident look of hope, letting Amy know it was okay for her to be knocked out for now. He bent down with her and they both tried to lift Metal Amy, but she was too heavy, even for the both of them.

"Phew, for a lady, she really has some weight to her." Amy sweatdropped, closing her eyes and straining as she pulled her up, her head leaning back with the action and her teeth gritting together.

"Well, looks can be deceiving. She's completely made of metal, inside and out, so you can only imagine what it must feel like for one of these guys to step on your toes." Tails humored himself, as Amy looked annoyed at him.

"I just got swung at by that hammer, kicked in the gut, and pretty much slammed to the ground by all her force… I understand the feeling." Amy countered right back, making Tails pout and look at her sarcastically.

"I know, I know… I was there." He commented, but then flashed her a smile. "You did good, Amy. I'm proud of ya." He started using his wrist communicator to contact Knuckles, and see where he was.

"Hehe, were you trying to sound like Sonic just then?" Amy giggled, liking the mimicry. "Cause if so, thank you."

"Heh, spending so much time with him really changes ya." Tails rolled his eyes, and suddenly saw a separate signal on his wrist watch. Growing concerned, he hacked it as quickly as he could, and saw… "Oh no! She sent a distress signal! We have to move her now!" Tails flew up, trying to at least get her upper half off the ground. "So… h-heavy…!"

Amy helped from below, as just then, Knuckles ran out into the field. He gasped as he seemed to have collected the emeralds back, "Boy, that Metal Me really knows how to deal a punch. Not to mention my poor, aching toes!"

"Not now, Knuckles!"

"Help us!"

"O-oh, right…"

Knuckles rushed up, and with his added brute force, got Metal Amy successfully off the ground as they high-tailed it to Tails's workshop.

"I have a system installed to block all radio transmissions that aren't on my channel. We should be able to hide her easily, but if he has a tracker, then we need to hurry and get her there fast!" Eggman had hacked Tails's channel before though… so he needed to make sure to double ensure the security more carefully…

"Got it!" Amy charged ahead, not wanting Metal Sonic to get her Metal counterpart back. She truly felt the desire to help Metal Amy, an odd kinship of sorts, as she was determined to take care of her. "I won't let that low life teach my Metal self that having feelings is wrong!" Amy, with a firece bite of her teeth, suddenly propelled herself forward, forcing the other two to try and keep up.

"W-woah! A-A-Amy!" Tails was flung forward, having chosen to fly in the air to move faster. He wanted to tell Amy to 'hold on!' or 'slow down!' but realized it was probably best to be dragged along then slowed down. They needed to hustle to get to safety, and if that meant Amy charging through the forest with Knuckles and Tails struggling to keep up, then so be it.

If Metal Sonic or the others countered them now… they'd lose their one chance to learn about what Metal Sonic was really planning!

Sonic and Eggman still fought Metal Sonic as Metal Tails flew back in, the alarm finally going off as Eggman and Sonic worked together to try and get Metal Sonic under control.

"They've retrieved the Chaos Emeralds!" Metal Tails shouted out as Sonic's hand was pushing Metal Sonic's head back from him, locked in a power-struggle combat hold. Metal Sonic's red eyes shifted to Metal Tails in even greater rage.

"WHAT?!"

"Haha! Guess your little team of badies isn't as helpful as my true-blue friends! Eh, Metal?"

"RAAAAAHHHH!"

Metal Sonic threw Sonic off of him and charged his engine as it flew him forward through the air at rapid speeds. Another showdown in the air, filled with blurry images the eye couldn't trace cohesively, before Metal Sonic kicked Sonic down and blasted him with a laser beam. However, Sonic skillfully spun back into a lose ceiling panel, and used it as a shield before it was melted away.

"Yikes!"

"Metal Tails. DEEEAL with Eggman!"

Metal Sonic almost metallically growled out the order in such heated aggression and spite as Metal Tails turned to Eggman, and glared with a bit of a snicker as he lowered his head to make sure Metal Sonic didn't see his organic action.

"I may just enjoy this…"

"Ohh, ho? Send one of your inventions on ME, eh?" Eggman straightened himself out and rippled his fingers on the joysticks of his robot. "You underestimate your creator,… Metal Sonic!" in a bit of offense to Metal Sonic sicking his own Metal creation on him, Eggman battled Metal Tails, only to lose and be forced to retreat.

"KILL HIM." Metal Sonic turned to see Eggman escaping, as Metal Tails flew after Eggman.

"W-what?!" Sonic turned back, seeing Metal Tails fly off towards Eggman. "Look, pal. I'm flattered you want to kill me, honest, but Eggman?" Sonic couldn't just stand there and continue to fight Metal Sonic, knowing that Eggman's life could be at risk.

While Metal Sonic threw more sharp-clawed punches, Sonic dodged the swipes and headed out through jumping to a window and turning his back to Metal Sonic, saluting with two fingers together up by his head and then flicking them away, "It was fun, but I don't like the sound of one against Eggman... Unless it's me!" Sonic winked an exit, dashing off as he felt Eggman couldn't defend himself against Metal Tails after having lost moments before. His robot was severely damaged, and Sonic knew he had a losing streak...

'Hang on, Egghead! Just don't do something you'll regret!' Sonic thought, losing his charming smile and gritting his teeth together, growing worried as he hurried to his aid, wind spiraling behind him.

Metal Sonic threw back his arms in rage, not wanting to let Sonic get away that easily… before seeing his eye-monitors blink red. Something was flashing on the side of his screen...

He looked down to the bottom of his eyeglass to see it, then mentally opened the data.

His eyes scanned the distress call's location, knowing Metal Amy had fallen after he detected it moments before…

Having a moment now to check, he constantly scanned, looking for her current location...

"But how..?" He was certain she could easily defeat Amy… Something wasn't right here… "Metal Tails, Metal Knuckles, fall back!" In a moment that sounded desperate, he blasted himself out from the bridge's control room, moving quickly to find her.

He seemed greatly concerned... what he feared could occur... he swore he wouldn't allow.

'They will not take her from me!'

Metal Knuckles rose his hand from below a rockslide, and almost like a zombie, his eye sticking out and sparking, he got up and flew through the air to Metal Sonic's location; being forced to obey, though he clearly didn't look ready to fight again.

Metal Tails fell back before Sonic caught up and started engaging him. Metal Tails was forced to only block and counter, before flying off to obey Metal Sonic's command.

They both wondered in the back of their minds... what was he prioritizing over Sonic? They couldn't fathom it being the defective Metal Amy, but... they had their traitorous suspicions...

"Huh, that was weird." Sonic noticed how the Robot seemed to just want to get away, as he continued his run towards Eggman, who was bent over the cockpit of his robot's control panel. It smoked from having been completely destroyed by Metal Tails seconds earlier… and he didn't seem to be responding either...

"Eggman!"

"… *cough cough*... Uhh… never before have I ever felt so humiliated.."

Eggman groaned, leaning up slightly and coughing some more from the smoke.

A big hand gripped the side of his cockpit as Sonic skid to a halt, helping him up and out. Eggman leaned on Sonic's head, a little disrespectfully, and got out of the control panel's large seat for his butt, letting all his weight fall on Sonic as he got him down to sit on the ground. "Offph!.. I don't suppose I need to tell you again that I'm not one to show gratitude." Eggman muttered.

Sonic struggled under the enormous weight, but managed all the same, even without Eggman's help. "You're welcome. But lose some pounds, will ya? I know you got an image, but sheesh! More importantly, what did you see that was different about Metal and his gang?" Sonic didn't seem to have his usual attitude as he turned back, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"...wondering why that Metal Tails didn't fight you back all that much..?"

"He's different... they all are different."

"Oh? Losing your carefree spirit already?" Eggman mocked and huffed a weak chuckle before growing serious in tone and looking ahead where Sonic was peering too…

"Metal Sonic has truly equipped himself with some pretty extraordinary foreign alloys I haven't seen before... But not only that, he seems to have neglected to work seriously on making his little 'friends' that impressive either. Compared to them, he's far more advanced. I wonder if it's all on purpose?"

"Knowing Metal, he probably wanted to be the big shot out of all of them." Sonic mocked, looking back at Eggman and folding his arms, but his face soon turned back and held a deep tone of concern. He kept staring off after them…

"Hmm… I fear it may be worst than that. They could just be decoys to get their 'original counterparts' out of the way. With counterfeits, Metal Sonic could easily cut off your friends from aiding you when times get rough. Ohh! That's pretty ingenious actually! Too bad Metal Sonic can't calculate how truly foolish that really is." Eggman folded his arms as well, perhaps to mimic Sonic out of a secret admiration, and looked down.

His mouth came up to a pondering frown that twitched slightly as he moved his mustache from drooping a bit, "Metal Sonic can't calculate the bonds between you and your friends. He doesn't realize that studying your individual strengths alone isn't enough to defeat you. Together, you all are pretty impressive and seem to do practically the impossible. For a robot, impossible isn't even a scenario."

"So… you're saying Metal Sonic's underestimating my team?" Sonic looked back, a bit surprised to hear Eggman complimenting his friendship and undying loyalty within his group of friends.

"Heh, don't take it the wrong way. I'm simply stating facts." Eggman looked back to him, getting up and seeming to grumble while stretching out his back as he did so. "Ohh...I'm just stating the obvious. Ah..." he finished cracking his back and continued, "You and your friends can be quite a force to reckon with. To get rid of them is smart, but not entirely practical. You always reunite in the end, and trust me… it's very annoying…" Eggman grumbled out yet another displeased rasp before turning from Sonic and starting to put some wires together on his robot, moving back up to it and fixing what he could to get Orbot and Cubot a signal to pick him up.

"Anyway, I'm quite fond of the idea of Metal Sonic tearing you apart, but just to be clear…" Eggman shifted his head back, just over his shoulder, stopping what he was doing for a moment.

"Don't let him." He stated.

Sonic saw how Eggman really didn't want Sonic or his friends to die, probably because then he couldn't have the pleasure of doing it himself, and then he'd have to take down Metal Sonic and his support himself. Especially if he wanted to take over the world, so… if Sonic destroyed him, that'd be pretty ideal for Eggman.

Sonic nodded, narrowing his eyes as he shifted and dashed, hoping to either spy on Metal Sonic or catch up with his friends. He mostly just wanted to make sure everyone was okay…

Metal Sonic blazed through the sky as he sent out a tracker signal, but nothing was being picked up. He stopped at the last located signal transmission as Metal Tails flew down and scanned for clues.

He bent down and noticed some burned metal, "Electrocuted." and began deducing what must have happened.

"Combat… there are footprints everywhere, but Metal Amy was not alone with her opponent…" he followed the deep footprints from Metal Amy's heavy frame and then found others, much lighter, a little farther away and past the fight. This revealed his assumptions accurate, enough so to state them. He scanned the footprints... His hand moving skillfully over the grass to show them. "…As I feared, My organic copy was here. He must have used some sort of electrical tactic to burn out her systems… She's gone." He stood up, looking to his master.

In all honesty, Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails were fine with not having Metal Amy around. They had to do their own maintenance anyway since Metal Sonic was always selfish when it came to Metal Amy's abilities of renewal, keeping it for himself.

Metal Sonic paced by, turning to and fro, looking and comprehending what this could mean with growing fury. In more rage than he could contain, he flipped his head back and cried out a terrifying metallic screech, sounding familiar to Metal Amy's name but too robotic to really make out if that's what he shouted or not.

Unknown Time has Gone By…

"Ooookay… test three hundred and…*yawn* thirty-six."

Metal Amy felt her systems starting up. Her eyes blinked operational.

"All systems look clear. Most of the bugs are divvied out. Battle mode compressed to trigger command,... for now at least. And all levels of hostility look… well, clear. Once again… for now…"

Metal Amy twitched her fingers, feeling her body was slightly deferent in some way. Her systems... their connections... it was freer than before.

"'Heart' program initiated. Hope this works!"

Metal Amy's eyelids bolted open wide as she stood straight up and simulated a panting gesture, holding her chest. Her eyes shook as she felt her shoulders move up and down. Almost instinctively, she looked at her hands.

A warm green glow came off of them... her eyes?

Her 'heart'..?

"W…What has befallen me?"

"Ah! Voice box is working! Repairs look pretty much complete now…"

"T-Tails?"

"That's me!"

Tails happily spun around, having oil all over himself as he took off his lab coat and goggles, happily swishing his tails. "I thought it would only be a few days,… but Metal Sonic really coded some heavy security in ya! I really had to fend for my life a couple of times there!"

"I… I do not recall." Metal Amy looked down and away, seeing she had been laid across a long table. Tails must have placed her here while fleeing the previous battle's aftermath.

Tails just chuckled, "Yeah, you were on auto-pilot. At least, that's what I think. But I've finally got all that terrible programming out of ya! Now, you're a nice robot." Tails seemed smug at his handiwork before he took a device and plugged it into something. "Okay, now… this may be a bit of a shock." He smiled kindly to her and opened her head up by clicking down her lower quill.

She blinked, "How did you-..?"

"I've studied you up, haha." He scratched behind his head, blushing a bit at having to explain it all. "I'll admit, your design is pretty complexed... but pretty, nonetheless." He winked down at her, charmingly. His hope was to keep her calm, knowing it'd probably be strange to wake up not knowing what has happened to you, or even where you are.

However, this simple gesture of a wink sent a processing signal through Metal Amy's mind, a compartment she wasn't used too, as she realized that was a gesture of friendly joking. Immediately, she felt her receptor curl up in a kind smile, showing she accepted the gesture's intent.

That level of complexity made her flinch as she held her head. "H-how did I..?"

"Oh, that?" Tails tilted his head, knowing what must have been happening as he pulled his neck back to study her reaction. Glad his little tinkering worked on her, he grinned wider and laughed, "Haha! That, my dear girl, is genius!" he gloated slightly, wagging his tails even more and rubbing his finger under his nose as Sonic would do when proud of something he did. "I've finished your extensive 'Heart' programming. And boy, oh boy, was that a tricky task! Your earlier processing capacity wasn't very much to store it all… that's why I think you found it hard to complete it. I upgraded you substantially in your data frame and coding processes. You should have a lot more freedom of thought now… and action, haha. But um, as for the uh,... 'Master'... programming, I edited it to voice recognize-me- instead. So… You can just call me Tails." He lightly patted her shoulder, showing he wasn't very comfortable with her calling him 'Master' now that he, technically, was the one she'll be taking most her orders from. However, he wasn't planning on using it much. It was probably only there for a precaution when he was still fiddling with her systems and programming.

"So.. I am not… forced?" she tilted her head. It was so natural, she didn't realize it even happened till she thought about it. It then surprised her how fluid the 'heart' programming was, and how much a part of her it had become.

"That's right. I mean… sometimes,... I'll have to take over and give you some form or other of a command, but I won't have to do that much." He was still beaming at what he now considered his 'own' little spin on her creation, greatly proud of his improvements on her. He shot his head up from bending over to get something below for a moment, "Oh! That's right! I found that your eyes had a separate color coding. I hope you don't mind, but green really suits you better." He commented as she once again looked at her hand, seeing the warm green glow on them from her eyes, and smiled.

"I like the fact that my eyes aren't a piercing red anymore…"

No longer a 'perfect' robot… But a 'free' robot…

Metal Sonic…

She tightened her fist and glanced away, still afraid of him.

"You have taken me from my original master, given me a new objective, and rebuilt me. All this against my will… How is this any better than Metal Sonic's control over me?"

"...Wait, wasn't this what you wanted?" Tails looked confused, gesturing his hands out. "I don't understand... Amy said-"

At that moment, Amy burst through the door, holding some oil cans on a tray. "BREEEAKKKKFEASSST~" she cried out, seeing as their voices could be heard inside the house.

"Amy… I thought I told you to wait till I gave the signal?" Tails looked upset, "She could still attack you!"

"Oh, please!" Amy motioned her hand out to Tails, raising and dropping it as if to 'whatever' his statement away. "It's all fine~ I mean, look at her! She's up and running without that death-seeking look in her eyes!"

"I changed them to green." Tails commented, rolling his eyes and folding his arms. "It was in her coding already, anyway. A simple tweak. No biggie."

"Ohhh~ So… glowy." Amy leaned up on the table, looking into Metal Amy's eyes and then slowly backing away. She was still a bit afraid of how Metallic they looked… "Anyway, eat up!" Amy put the warm oil in front of Metal Amy.

She blinked as she looked at it. "…'Drink' up?"

"…Uhh…" Amy blinked and held a finger up to her mouth, looking to Tails to explain to her.

"You can now take in oil through your receptor, just slide it back." Tails stated as Metal Amy remembered the black, conductive slate…

"That is improbable, I have a-" she slid it back as it revealed to be an opening, and she moved her finger in it, realizing he had taken the black slate out.

"…"

"Y-yeah… I wasn't sure why an electrical outlet-like device was there… looks like it was for charging, but as I understand, there were some on your hands too." Tails pointed to them, revealing they were gone too. "But..." He lifted the finger and curved it back to her receptor, "There..? Looks kinda illogical to me." He seemed very confused but shrugged it off. "Either way, you now have a way of digesting oil in your systems, like one of us would to eat or drink." He smiled and turned away, walking out a moment. "Stay sharp, Amy. I don't know if there are any more bugs in her just yet. Help her move around and eat, I've already charged her to her full capacity, so she should be fine." He walked out, as Amy joyfully grabbed Metal Amy's hand, glad to finally be alone to talk with her now.

The gesture shocked Metal Amy a bit as she stared at her, then her hand, then back at her.

"Why do you show this friendly gesture?" she asked.

"Hehe! Isn't it great?! Now you can be what you want to be! No more meanie Metal Sonic telling you what to do!"

Metal Amy's eyelids drooped slightly. Her systems admire Amy's flexible skin around her mouth known as lips... the way her eyes held no circuitry patterns or lights... the vocal patterns she produced with air and muscle vibrating through her throat...

"Besides! Now that you're free from Metal's judgment, you can decide your own life now. Of course, you'll have to complete the first mission and all,… but after that-!" She leaned further towards Metal Amy, whose mind was now seeing her with red eyes, a blue tint... consequences...

"You're free!" Amy sprang her arms up, releasing her own, and then hugged Metal Amy as she blinked her eyes. She felt a bit torn between loyalties... and didn't know for sure why…

"I…Yes… this is… nice." She concluded, having her head turned and squished up against Amy Rose's. Was this nice? knowing what the word meant now, she figured it was appropriate to say this to Organics in these social situations. As Amy pulled away, Metal Amy could detect signs of sorrow.

"What have I done? Why do your eyebrows move upwards in concern? Why do you frown and not smile like before? Have I offended you? Made you sad in some way?" She was truly worried about Amy's sudden behavioral change, as she moved her hands up shook them out in front of herself, trying to show she didn't want to offend or hurt Amy in any way.

No... Not the one thing she admired and envied most in the world... Never her.

"No, no… it's not that, it's just…" Amy looked away. "You seem… to not like what has happened. I thought you'd be happy,… you seemed to want this, last we met… But with Tails..." Amy turned back, "Are you okay?" she wondered why Metal Amy wasn't showing signs of happiness, as she was now programmed to show.

"…I…I am…" Metal Amy wanted to be honest with Amy,… but fearing these 'New Masters' will find error in her. Without Metal Sonic's... or Tails's instruction regarding her purpose, she felt-figuratively speaking- she had to bite her tongue.

She held her can of oil like she was programmed too, as if she was holding a cup of tea, and simulated a closed smile up to Amy. "Okay."

Amy looked her face over a moment and then smiled. "Good! I'm glad!" she smiled back, giddy as ever as if having found out she now had a sister. "Teehee, you deserve the best. After all, you are a robo-version of moi~"

"Moi?"

"Me. In French? Oh man, Tails hasn't equipped you with modern slang, has he?"

"Oh no, I understand Organic slang."

"…Organic what now?"

A few hours later

Amy Rose began to move strangely in Tails's kitchen, spinning and staying on her toes as she did so; all the while Metal Amy was getting a briefing by Tails before he noticed she wasn't paying any attention to him. In fact, her eyes were very obviously glued to each turn and every swish of Amy's hair, clothes, and body as she moved around while the other strange noise played nearby.

"M.A." Tails called, looking a bit annoyed at her clearly ignoring him.

"Ah!" She quickly brought her attention back to him, blinking her eyes to show surprise at being found out. She really did love her new emotion system, and studying Amy and Tails up close like this really proved to be helpful in adding extra details to her 'Heart' system. Tails had once told her she could keep editing it, and she constantly did so at every possible convenience.

"Did you hear a word I said?" he asked.

Her spy system activated and she repeated all she had recorded, down to Tails's voice. "M.A. This is very important. Now, I need you to spy on Metal Sonic. Tell us what he's planning and when. If we know his plan, we may know how to stop him from implementing it. This is really important, you have to pretend to still be under his control, even though you won't be. I'll be hooked up to your spy system and seeing everything you are. But again, you have to lay low, at least, until we can get the information we need."

"…I don't remember programming you to be a smart aleck." Tails folded his arms, but you could tell he was just messing with her, and fond of her little joke.

She smiled weakly, "I was just interested in knowing why Amy moved so oddly in the kitchen just now."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tails looked over to where Amy was. "She's just dancing to music… Oh. Right." He realized that's what she meant.

"…Dancing?" she wiggled her head back and her metallic, bendable eyebrows furrowed slightly. Metal Sonic would clearly be able to tell her emotions were fiddled with and even her form if she didn't put a tight lid on it. But Tails had thought of everything, even making a feature that would fool Metal Sonic into believing he was receiving and sending her signals again; although, his inputs wouldn't wirelessly control her anymore.

"Y-yeah." Tails nervously stated, sweatdropping a little in awkwardness at trying to think of a way to explain it. Seeing Amy's dancing was a little foreign to Metal Amy, he wanted to simplify it for her the best way he could.

"Music—to us—makes us feel things. When the beats are good, we like to move to them. It makes us happy." He explained.

"…Rhythmic noises and long-held voices make you feel things?" she tilted her head to the other side, "Is it from the vibrations? Or maybe the brain being triggered by the repeated sounds, or-"

"It… it's just something that you may not be able to grasp, M.A." he looked down, not sure how to describe music to a robot.

"…O-oh." Metal Amy looked down, her hands out in front of her. She was really excited to learn something new about organics and how they felt emotion, but…

She was a robot.

All she did was simulate and try to understand.

She realized she was never going to be able to fully understand them, even being this close to observing them… and that made her very sad.

'Then… what's the point?'

"Sonic!" Amy exclaimed, seeing him dash through the window and swing her around, dancing with her.

"No one told me we were having a party!" Sonic kid and spun her away as she 'woa-oa-oah!'d away in dizzy circles while he came up to Tails, but stopped to look at Metal Amy.

"Ah, it's the cute nurse." He greeted and bowed humbly. "How do you do?"

Metal Amy giggled as Amy rushed in, her quills all in a mess from being spun around so fast. She looked amazed at something, "Did you just call her cute..?"

Sonic got back up from his bow and looked to Tails, ignoring Amy, and placed his hands on his hips. "Are we ready for stage one?"

"I think so. M.A was just curious about dancing." Tails stated, smiling awkwardly. "I couldn't really explain it very well..."

"Oh?" he held an odd sense of curiosity in his face, slightly fascinated that a robot would be curious about such things, but also unsure of it. It was… odd to him,... but he didn't condone it. "Well, let's see what you've learned." He offered her his hand.

Amy cried out behind him, whining at the fact that he was offering to dance with her Metal self and not her.

"You had your turn…" he glanced behind him, mumbling the statement before looking back fondly to Metal Amy. "What do you say? I think you need a bit of 'friendly Sonic kindness' for a change."

'Sonic… kindness?' she knew Metal Sonic was vicious, but… he had given her her old coding back. Even if he had mocked and frightened her a bit, she still…

Perhaps it was lingering data, but maybe she still held somewhat of a loyalty to him.

She got up and shyly nodded.

"Okay, Tails, tell her the beats." Sonic sweatdropped at her awkwardness for not taking his hand but took hers anyway.

Amy and Tails both struck a funny poise with a 'D'oh!', falling over to have their legs twitch up and crooked a little at realizing Sonic didn't know how to dance too well either.

Metal Amy... studied how he held her hands.

They were... what was the word... soft? the added pressure was minimal. There was no heavy force for piercing of claws deep into her metallic frame.

Was this... Sonic Kindness?

She peeked up to see him not even noticing her or her hands... Metal Sonic would always admire his handiwork on her, even her hands...

She remembered recharging him, feeling the weird sensation of touch he built into her as her hands would skim his metal hide while she completed her objective.

But this Sonic... he doesn't act like Metal Sonic at all.

Were all Organics this kind?

"One, two, three. One, two, three." Tails danced with Amy, while she pouted and glared to Metal Amy and Sonic in pitiful jealousy as Sonic tried to lead Metal Amy into the steps.

"It is all measured." She concluded and started to take over after getting the repeated movement, but Sonic just got swung along and tried to stop her.

"W-woa-oah! H-hey, now. Usually, the guy leads." He smiled weakly and took back control over the dancing; Granted, he was very easy-going about her awkward and heavy frame clanking around as she tried to keep up with the paces and move. It was bulky, but she tried her best to mimic Amy on her toes...

"Unless… of course, you're dancing with Amy…" Sonic continued then and looked away, seeming to have his voice lowered.

"I HEARD THAT!" Amy roared back, kicking her leg out as Tails just silently faked a chuckle and tried to keep dancing as he proceeded on with the steps. "I just wanted to teach you how to waltz! If you want, we can learn the quickstep! Or the cha-cha, or-"

Sonic spun Metal Amy away from Amy Rose.

"H-HEY!"

Sonic rolled his eyes as Metal Amy grew concerned over how angry and hurt Amy looked, but Amy was just pouting, she didn't seem that much offended by him. However... Metal Amy couldn't see emotions that clearly…

"Why do you treat her as such?" Metal Amy asked, keeping her eyes on Amy.

"Hmm?" Sonic looked down at her. "What do you mean?"

"You… mock her." She looked squarely at him before feeling a type of fear, like speaking out of line with Metal Sonic, and turned her head away from him. "No one wishes for their love to be made fun of."

Sonic stopped dancing with her a moment, staring down at her and slightly taken aback, amazed at a Robot telling him something so deep and emotional.

"…I don't mock her." He stated, seeming to mean his words. "I tease her." He grinned wickedly as if he was being clever and continued the dance. "You just don't understand."

Metal Amy grew a bit upset. "I wish to understand! I desire to learn your ways… why must it be so hard to explain to me these things?" she grumbled a bit.

"Woah, woah, now. Don't get upset." His smile faltered slightly, but he picked it back up again. "I'm only saying it's hard to describe feelings to something that doesn't-"

"Feel?" Metal Amy moved out of his arms, stepping away from him and looking offended.

"Ah, well… I… um…" Sonic fumbled a bit with his words, not sure how to recover from that…

"What's wrong?" Tails stated, stopping his awkward dance with Amy and turning the music off. "You alright, M.A?"

"…" Metal Amy looked down, her fists shaking in frustration. "... I... I will complete my mission now." She couldn't stand it anymore. Being so close to them, but still not knowing how to understand them.

-The Return to Metal Sonic-

She couldn't feel.

She couldn't be like them even if she tried.

But she at least wanted to understand.

Why couldn't they just state what they were feeling?

She had an imagination. She has simulations. She could try and figure out a matrix for different emotions or at least get an idea for it.

And even if she couldn't, she still wanted the definition.

How did it feel to be upset?

How did it feel to be sad?

How did it feel to be hurt?

What about being… happy?

Was she happy?

She knew what the emotions would emote and be expressed as and she knew the thoughts, just a bit, behind them. For instance, she knew she was afraid of Metal Sonic's anger because she held back her actions and words to not be destroyed. That was fear. To die at any minute or to be harmed in some way.

But… Why did Sonic tease Amy like that?

Metal Sonic had mocked her, what was the difference? He had controlled her steps, much like how Sonic lead in the music and wouldn't let her create her own steps. So they were off the 'musical tempo', does that mean Organics can't create new steps or beats?

She didn't care about Metal Sonic the same way Amy cared for Sonic, so Metal Sonic couldn't have been mocking her love for him. No, it was her weakness—or so he thought—of her desire to be errored.

…She didn't care…

She had walked outside, stepping just near where the grass and the road split. Stopping herself, she knew she had reached the invisible line where the radio blocking signal-barrier had domed over Tails's home. Her sensors could feel it, but the others couldn't even see it…

Is this how a robot feels?

She touched her arm, feeling the mix of familiarity with Metal Sonic's touch system mingled with the strangeness of Tails's additions and adjustments.

One step,... and Metal Sonic could locate her location.

She would have to move fast to make sure he didn't think Tails had just set her free.

They had a whole plan. She was to fake escape and state that she fought her way out while ridding any suspicion that Tails had edited her software.

If they wanted to check, she had to improvise and give them a fake chip, since Tails had copied her original memory chip as a backup while he fiddled with it so many times, he needed an original copy. He apparently kept more than just the one he had given her... stating it was for research and 'just in case' procedures. She never felt good about that... especially by how he stated it.

After getting caught again…

Metal Amy shook her head. She'll complete her new objective.

But she wondered if she missed what was familiar to her... even if it was a tortuous living. Can a robot feel tortured?

At least she understood what it meant to be a robot.

Perfect.

Perfection.

But then again... did those words even make sense to her?

She needed to get her mind off of that tangent and think only about what she needed to do now.

Have Metal Sonic state what his plan was.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been taken, or even if he had compensated without her.

Wouldn't need to do much to compensate her disappearance... he could always make another-

She suddenly stepped back, that thought almost unbearably shaking her thought process.

Another...

She shook the thought off. Almost going so far as to delete it.

Back to Metal Sonic, was he going to ambush Sonic again? Or postpone that to take on world domination first? Her new master needed to know.

Masters… she would never be free of them till she helped Tails out. But even then… did he trust her?

…She didn't care…

Tails had once asked her if she believed Metal Sonic was one to hold his word… was Tails one she could trust with spoken promises?

Was she just being another kind of robot now? One that Tails could manipulate and once done with, throw her to the side as Metal Sonic seemed to be less inclined to do?

He seemed fond of her, would Tails be fond of her too?

…She didn't care…

Did she care?

She held herself a moment, not sure what emotion to feel…

Ever since Metal Sonic simulated a kiss to her… she seemed to be thinking differently about him…

Did she desire for him to still be her Master?

The horror of that thought made her shake her head in fright. It was illogical! He was barbaric! Cruel! Selfish! Insane!

…And yet…

He was her creator.

He gave her purpose and praised her, even in taunting ways, seemed to find some fondness for her; Yet, he treated her so terribly. He even commented a few times how he liked how he designed her, and although he was just messing around with giving her a 'touch' system and that black slate on her receptor where an Organic's mouth would be… he had let her live with her errors. Even though she feared him… she wondered if she hated him or not…

"No, you're not. The enemy of my enemy is my friend… is that not so? He offered you freedom. Something you used to desire. And if I recall… you hate me."

Metal Amy's memory files activated from before, as she re-ran the event in her head…

"…I cannot compute hatred for you, Master. Doing such would go against programming."

"Oh? It seemed you constantly thought of going against programming… was I not on the list?"

Was he?

"Your programming makes sure you cannot disobey me, that also includes betrayal. Let me make it slightly more apparent…"

What was he trying to say…? Through that power play… what was he trying to convey?

"N-no need. I compute. You will be destroying him soon. There is no need for me to see him again!"

"…Go on... Convince me..."

"Y-you are the… the only Sonic!"

Metal Amy gasped slightly, holding a hand to her chest. 'Could it… be?'

After all her time researching and learning about Amy's behaviors and her friends' mannerisms,… did she fail to realize that most of her data… was on Amy's love for Sonic?

If Metal Sonic was the only Sonic to her… could it be… that she had involuntarily simulated love for him?

Or had she fooled herself? Had she been manipulated by Metal Sonic? Impossible! How could he..? Encourage... Love...

No, he only made sure of servitude.

She shook her head, glaring to the side. 'I hold no such feeling for him!'

But then… why did he respond so well to her..?

Even during that moment of 'proving loyalty' he seemed to enjoy the simulation of lovers affections.

He hated Organics, in practically every way, then why… did he love it so much in her?

"Cannot compute." She gripped her head, shaking. It frightened her to think that he could be… could be…

Just like her.

"M.A!"

"Metal me, don't go!"

"Hold on!"

"..!?"

In her realization, she flung her horror-stricken face back to the others, stopping the three in their tracks as they looked worriedly at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you afraid? It's okay to be afraid!"

"Don't be upset, I'm sorry, okay? I'm not… I'm not really used to talking about my 'feelings' that much."

Tails, Amy, and …Sonic…

If Metal Sonic had errors like her… Ah!

She could process it!

She now had the freedom to contemplate it! The only thing that was stopping her was herself, fear of what she may process.

"Metal Sonic's hatred for Sonic… could be envy." She stated, looking down seriously, but still looking completely terrified at her theory.

"W-what do you mean?" Tails was confused how the topic changed so quickly, but she had to speak her newly processed thoughts out! This was freedom! The freedom of thought! Expression! Everything!

"Well, of course!" Sonic shouted out as if that was obviously the case. "Who wouldn't be?"

Amy hit him in the arm.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Shh! She's obviously afraid of something!" Amy stated and looked back at her, stepping forward. "What's so bad about that? At least we know his motive, right?"

"No… no, you don't understand…!" Metal Amy turned back to them, stepping forward, a hand still on her chest. "He loathes Organics! Because he can never be what Sonic is! He was designed to be a perfect Sonic but he was based on something that is flawed. He can never be perfect because Organics aren't perfect!"

"Ouch." Sonic stated, not liking hearing he's 'flawed'.

Amy cutely smiled to him humorously, as if holding in a laugh and wanting to say, 'you're perfect to me~' But looked away and held it in.

Tails looked back and rolled his eyes to Sonic's 'hurt' pride, "Go on." He urged politely for her to ignore him; after all, any new news on Metal Sonic was just fine by him. He needed to know everything about Metal Sonic, and this could be his golden ticket to a better understanding of him and his ways…

"He wants to control and destroy organic life forms. Because he hates what he can't become! And he feels that in order to be perfect,... he must reject such flawed things…" she remembered how he first treated her... before... "But… he's not perfect, he can never be perfect, which is why... Which is why-!" Metal Amy couldn't believe what she was saying. Back in her old programming, this would be grounds for treason.

"He is errored!"

She blurted out and plugged her mouth, shocked by the blasphemy she had just spoken out against her creator.

"Well, yeah." Tails nodded, snickering at how she thought this was something new. "I mean, he's trying to rule the whole living world. That's a bit… errored in thinking, don't you agree?"

"You… you don't get it." She grew sorrowful, realizing there were some things that Robots could not explain to Organics either… "Either way." She shook her head but was slightly happy she could understand something an Organic couldn't. "If he is like me… and hides his errors… he must have the same want to understand as I do. I wonder if that is why… he…" she wondered if his simulation of Sonic's behaviors weren't just 'lasting effects' at all… or if… they somehow made him who he was. It was kinda like how her old memory chip made her who she was…

He didn't know what Amy's purpose to Sonic was, but he still made Metal Amy.

He still seemed fond of Metal Amy… as Sonic still seemed to care about Amy.

Could it be…?

She turned to look at Sonic, who was looking at Amy as she cutely stared at him, leaning forward and blinking her eyes to try and hold his attention.

He raised an eyebrow at her antics, not sure why she was acting this way. Amy tried to look irresistibly adorable and move closer to him.

He scooted back and held a hand slightly up, showing how he was keeping his distance, and hoped she would do the same…

Amy frowned before skipping around his hand and to his other side, making him grow jumpy as he tried to get away, but she rushed up and hugged him.

….Metal Sonic and her were not like that….

Then why…?

She shook her head, perhaps after so long, Metal Sonic took on his own persona.

That made more sense but didn't help her theory.

"Well, either way, M.A. Are you sure you want to start the mission… now?"

"Yes." Metal Amy nodded, the sun seemed to be setting anyway. "I thank you for your upgrades and my new found freedom. Without it, I would never have come to the conclusion that Metal Sonic is flawed." She gently shook her head, determined now, but sorrowfully wishing things weren't so complexed.

"And needs to be stopped, right?" Tails smiled.

"…R-right." Metal Amy nodded, looking down. "…He… would never change his ways."

...Was that a silent longing? For him to desire to be more like her, more open to organic ways, more...

Sonic kindness?

"Good." Tails nodded, glad that he programmed some wisdom in her too. "If he really can't change, then its only right to take him down so he can't hurt people."

Metal Amy retrieved memories of his harsh shredding and destructive nature...

No... he did not belong in the world of Organics.

"Metal me!" Amy Rose ran up, hugging her as she remained stiff, stepping around to maintain balance while Amy was spun around her for a moment. "Hehe! Be careful! And don't let that mean old Metal Sonic push you around and call your feelings 'bad' anymore, alright?"

She felt her head want to move to the crook of her neck, and embrace her back, knowing how much Amy Rose saved her from the fate of forever being an 'evil' robot.

She couldn't fulfill the programmed emotion as Tails spoke up just then.

"Actually, she needs to lay low, Amy." Tails awkwardly corrected her. "So she actually does need to endure it a little longer… at least until we have a plan to fight him."

Fight... him.

Metal Amy looked away, terrified of just thinking of having to defy him… in front of him… with those eyes of burning red hatred... obsessed with destroying all she adored.

"Well, you leave putting ol'bot brains back into the abyss of space to me! I've got this." Sonic stretched, then gave a thumbs up with a wink as Amy slightly swooned to the side.

"My hero~"

"The earth's hero." Tails corrected her again, which was received with a stink-eye from her, warning him to quit it.

"A hero." Metal Amy stated as the team turned their attention back to her. "In my eyes, you are all heroes."

They smiled, looking touched by her words.

Although, she wasn't trying to be inspirational. She was just stating that her old programming would group them as heroes, and that used to be a bad thing.

She tilted her head and blinked her eyes at their looks of appreciation. "Have I said something profound?" she asked.

"Very." Tails grinned with pride as if she was his own creation, which made Metal Amy a little nervous…

'He knows he is not my creator… right?'

Finally, the gang said their farewells and contacted Knuckles, asking if the Emeralds were alright before stating that they were sending Metal Amy back.

She took a simulated breath, knowing she had to fly out and pretend to have just fought Knuckles on Angel Island, faking that she flew off to try and redeem her defeat by stealing the emeralds back.

Knuckles was all ready to play a friendly 'wrestle' with her, so now it was just a matter of how fast she could fly.

She saw the invisible but wobbly line of radio waves in front of her and gently moved her hand to it.

"Ready?" Tails communicated to her through a wireless speakerphone in her head.

"Em." She nodded, but still was afraid of having to one day fight Metal Sonic…

"And… take off!"

She blasted forward.

Ruins of Metal HQ

Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles were cleaning the place up, trying to scrap whatever they could and get the place back up and running. They rebuilt the Electric Shower as soon as they could, knowing Metal Amy wasn't there to recharge them now anyway…

Then…

Metal Sonic had stood on the top of his destroyed headquarters, his cape flying behind him in the now setting sky, growing darker by the minute. His sensors blinked a signal he had been searching for as his eyes glowed a brighter red a moment, like a cat dilating its eyes before the hunt. He turned quickly to stride by his supports,

"Metal Amy is operational and within tracking range." He stated. "I will retrieve her, build whatever more you can. With her, we will continue as planned." He spoke with sharp haste, blasting off as the two looked to one another, and continued to work.

With Metal Sonic gone… they were free to be a little more organic around one another.

They had learned through Metal Amy's example not to reveal this side of themselves.. and so were more able to conceal it. Especially since Metal Sonic only seemed to focus on looking for her errors, not so much there's anymore...

But still... fear led their stiff positions in front of their master...

"Man… why does he insist on her being important to the plan?" Metal Knuckles complained, throwing some ceiling debris off the floor and away from him, maybe to be scrapped later on. "She is useless if she cannot charge us during battle... or at all!" he metallically grumbled.

"…She is impractical now that only he may use her abilities, this is true." Metal Tails stated, rewiring things back together. "But… there seems to be more to it than that." He looked off to where his Master had flown off too.

"..What do you mean?" Metal Knuckles turned back to him.

"…He… favors her. Above us." Metal Tails finally spoke out his theory, blinking nonchalantly towards the direction Metal Sonic went. "I believe he may keep her around, even when we have succeeded in our programmed objective." He went back to work.

"WHAT!? That weak, little Organic-loving insect?! She's barely worth the clumped up dirt under my shoe!" Metal Knuckles stomped on the ground, causing a loud noise to echo through the ruined base. "I should be his favorite!"

"My records show you once betrayed him." Metal Tails lowered his eyelids slightly as they squeaked a metallic sound of judgment at him, peering over to him in sly ridicule.

"Urk..! I was errored! I'm perfect now." He continued with his work but seemed a little choked up or embarrassed at Metal Tails knowing that.

"….I wonder if he, himself… is…cannot compute." Metal Tails shook his head and sighed. "I cannot compute my Master ever erroring, or not be perfect."

"Ha! Traitor!" Metal Knuckles spun around, pointing an accusing finger.

"Quiet. I couldn't compute any further. I cannot be a traitor if I cannot even think my thought thoroughly through."

"..Oh."

"Even so… she is clearly erroring… why does he not shred her miserable body through like he did to us?" Metal Tails wondered, holding up a wire that sparked, as he decided to charge himself without letting Metal Knuckles know about it.

"…Perhaps he likes to mock her." Metal Knuckles kicked some debris around him, being in charge of clearing the area for Metal Tails to work on.

"…Mock… or 'Desire'?" Metal Tails muttered.

"Huh?"

"Nothing… only that Metal Sonic seems to be quite selfish with her abilities. And according to my deductions to how the electric shower broke down... it was due to a powerful electrical surge. I'm guessing him and Amy were recharging together and she was giving him too much energy, resulting in him expelling too much as well." Metal Tails stood up and held a sinister look on his face as he turned to Metal Knuckles. "If any 'mocking' was being done,… then I'm afraid her 'errors' would prove most… 'enjoyable'. With that much electrical current, those two would have felt a power surge like none other." He looked forward, apparently imagining just how good a power surge on that scale might just feel in his systems…

"…Wait, they did what?" Metal Knuckles turned around with a bunch of debris in his steely gloved hands. He blinked, being confused as to what Metal Tails had stated.

Or what he had meant by it...

"Oh, nevermind. You're a blundering idiot." He lowered his eyelids in annoyance once more and went back to work. His tails slashed the ground, "Why must I be the brains, and you the dumb brawns?"

"Hey! I have a perfectly functioning processor! Thank you very much! Hmph!" Metal Knuckles threw the debris off, and folded his arms, not liking being mocked. "I am not inferior to you! Only to the master!" he stomped on the ground.

Metal Tails rolled his eyes, "You're perfectly loud…"

Angel Island

Knuckles saw a comet or something heading for his island, smiling as it arched downward towards their location.

"Well, looks like the cavalry's arrived!"

Walking down to greet her, she landed and immediately engaged her battle mode, grabbing her hammer that came out with a claw that gave it to her and then retracted back into her back, closing the two panels that had opened for her to retrieve it.

"Are you prepared to engage? Is all set to begin motion?"

"Uhh… you mean, ready, set, go?" Knuckles raised an eyebrow but found her strangely charming.

"Ah, yes. That is a phrase you could use, but I meant to say… uh…" she held a finger to her mouth, and then up as if she got an idea. "Is everything set in motion!" she corrected herself.

"Oh! Yeah, that works too." He put his hands to his hips, "And I've hid the emeralds and the Master Emerald. So everything should be fine." He stated reassuringly and with confidence.

"Great, then we enact battle." She narrowed her eyes and looked ready to fight. "He will notice damage on me, so make sure you hit me with adequate enough force to make it logical. Or... more believable." she seemed a little worried this farce wouldn't fly right by Metal Sonic's expert deductions...

"Well… I usually have a thing against hitting a lady, but I guess since you're a robot, I'll make an exception." He wheeled his fist back. "Man, Tails did a good job on you, you're totally not some crazed robot trying to kill us all anymore, are ya? Haha! Good for you!"

"…." Tails didn't make her this way, she was always against combat towards organics.

"Ah..." Noticing a shift in her expression, he loosened up a moment, lowering his reeled back fist. "Hey, Amy-bot... don't worry about a thing, alright?" He gave her an encouraging smile, tilting his chin up a bit, hoping she'd do the same. "We're all in this together! You're part of the team now, after all! We'll get what we need and dash in to save ya. That's what teammates do, we help each other! Ya know?"

She glanced up at him and counted his heart's rhythm and the tempo of his breathing. His sincerity touched her, but she still feared what lay ahead... speedily charging in their direction...

Readying to collect her...

"T... Thank you,... Knuckles." she nodded, seeing he could read her emotion output.

With that same unwavering smile, he nodded back. "Alright, here I-… here he comes." Knuckles looked like he was going to enjoy a little scrap, getting his fist back into position before seeing the figure soaring through the close of the dark sky.

Beginning the act without warning, Knuckles quickly charged her. "GET OFF MY ISLAND!"

"Ah!" she realized he had begun and took the hits, faking that she was defending. "Harder." she whispered, seeing as he wasn't denting her.

"I'm trying but..! Grah... This alloy is rock-solid..! And usually,.. hurumph! Ha! I can crush right through rocks!" Knuckles muttered through gritted teeth, slamming his spiked knuckles into her metallic casing, trying to dodge hitting her spikes on her dress before finally denting her on her shoulder. "Alright! ..Ah!" he was momentarily distracted from his achievement by Metal Sonic coming straight at him, his body encircled by fire from his blazing turbo-engines at his exposed core and on his feet.

Metal Amy saw his claws ready to shred him apart. She thought fast, swinging Knuckles away with a mighty hit from her hammer and saving his life from the impending doom.

"Master!" She cried out leaning towards him in a-hopefully-convincing form of loyalty. Metal Sonic landed, looking to her, and then Knuckles.

He seemed to not think about, or perhaps notice, her hitting Knuckles away from his diving aerial attack. It was in her programming to keep Metal Sonic safe, anyway.

Well,... in her old programming... that is.

"What befell here?" he asked, but out of impatience, turned to open her head up instead. He reached up, going to retrieve her memory chip before waiting for her lengthy response, when...

She stepped back.

"Exposing my vulnerability would be impractical." She responded quickly, now having enough processing capacity to be speedier with her thinking. She would not make as many mistakes as before... She could now cloak her organic tendencies and strategize even on par with his own intellect. "I have failed in defeating Tails and Amy Rose. Therefore, I faked death to learn more about their plan. I discovered nothing and failed again. I then thought my redemption could only come from retrieving the stolen emeralds."

"Enough. I don't require the emeralds anymore." He glared at her and turned to see Knuckles just staring, his fist still up, as if not sure if he's meant to keep attacking her or not. "Dispose of him with me. At once." He held his claw up as Knuckles freaked out before seeing Metal Amy wave him to run.

He 'oh'd and dug under the ground, racing to fake tunnels serving as decoys while he made his way to where the Chaos Emeralds were all safely hiding away.

"'Scuse me! Grah!" he fell down the right tunnel and blocked it with a bolder so that in the dark, you couldn't really see the many elaborate mazes that workes to keep thieves out.

Metal Sonic was about to go after him before Metal Amy held him back.

"I want to obey, Master. But priority states you are damaged and in need of a recharge. May I have alternative instructions?"

Perhaps her faking was too good, and he didn't see any errors for too long…

She decided to show an error to him. She looked away as if being shy… "I… I am truly sorry I failed you,… Master."

"….You will pay for your lack of results." He stated while stopping his apparent chase on Knuckles, "Very well. Charge me." He walked towards a waterfall nearby, flying straight into it and polluting the once fresh spring waters with oil as he washed off the dust and fallen debris from Sonic and Eggman's crash on their headquarters.

Metal Amy knew she had to respond… but… he was in the middle of water... the electricity would shock them both… and not in a good way…

"Water is hazardous." She stated, blinking her eyes in a confused way as she wondered what he was thinking. 'He cannot be this errored..? Or had I not the capacity to perceive it before?'

"No.. I shall get out. You will be shocked." He turned around and smirked.

'…He will never change…' she realized he was going to torture her with getting electrocuted for having failed him.

"I see you've apparently missed me." She growled metallically, heading into the water as he got out. He looked back at her, leaning in closer and grabbing her chin as their two forms were about to pass one another.

"I have…Not seeing you shake in fear of me has been… oh, so lonely…" he mocked her once again.

Then he stopped and tilted his head.

"…Why can I not activate your mouthpiece?"

Oh no.

Metal Amy touched her receptor.

This wasn't good..!

"….Metal Amy…?"

He would find out she's been reprogrammed!

She had to act fast.

"I… I must have been damaged."

She needed to fake excitement and quickly looked up at him, eyeing him down and smirking her own unique way. "I guess you'll have to deal with the traditional exchange."

"…Hmph." He whipped his hand out from under her chin as she heard the screech of metal against metal, and rubbed her chin. "You'll still be shocked. I'll have to repair you right away."

"Without your lab?" she questioned.

"…" he remained silent and folded his arms. "Do you doubt my ability?"

"No, you are my creator. I admire your ability." She wasn't exactly lying there… "But all that labor for a defective mouthpiece? Seems a bit… well…"

"I spoil you… don't I?" he tilted his head, showing a level of fondness she wasn't used too. "Haha." He mocked a laugh.

"….I don't wish for you to simulate a 'kiss' to me."

All was silent as Metal Sonic looked back to her, a new look in his eyes. "..Is that so?"

"…Yes." She looked away.

"…." He moved closer into the water, "…Are you certain of that…" he held a hand up to her face, lightly stroking her cheek. "…for someone whose fought possibly three foes… you certainly would be in need of a recharge… all your own... would you not?" he looked at her dent and took his other hand, using his thumb to stroke it lightly. "Don't act like you wouldn't want another 'incident' of electrical overdose." His eyes shot back to her in deadly desire as she stepped away.

He lifted his head back and laughed again, "You are too easy to mock! I'll admit, I missed that." He walked out of the water, the soaked ends of his cape's trail following after him and muddying the ground. "Either way,... you will recharge me with whatever remaining power you have left, then I shall bring you back for future repairs. But for now, I must attack Eggman while he's weak so that he can never interfere with my plans for Sonic again."

Metal Amy had got it… she had just received his first plan of attack. He was going to... to...

He was aiming for Eggman.

"…Very well." She knew she had to endure the electrical shock again… even after Tails-

Tails…

He had seen that!

She stopped from moving her hands out. Her eyes shook, almost forgetting not to show so much of her simulated emotions around Metal Sonic.

Not just Tails… Amy and Sonic as well!

They could all have seen…

They all could have heard...

"Why do you hesitate? You were given an order.." he glared, thinking her errors were causing her issues in obeying. "I wonder,… would you have succeeded in destroying Amy Rose? Or even Tails? If I didn't switch your data chip on a whim... how much more useful would you have been to me?"

"…N-no, I am fine,... Master." Metal Amy dared not shake her head, walking bravely up to Metal Sonic, making sure her feet were still in the water for his amusement.

He checked too, and then swiped his damp and heavy cape back, opening his arms up.

"Well then… come." He narrowed his eyes, seeming almost excited to see her tortured for his own pleasure.

Punishment… Tails would never do such a thing.

How could she have ever calculated being back with Metal Sonic over Tails?

It was foolish, and she knew that now.

She glared at him, a bold statement that he seemed to enjoy, before changing into her softer form. Peering down at her reflection in the water, it seemed as though she were sad by this outcome.

By the conclusion that her master couldn't be anything like her... at least, not in the way her 'heart' worked...

Could he be reprogrammed? Now having the ability to think about it, she wondered if Tails could save each of her brothern... her master included.

The thought terrified her, but even that hope was crushed... looking at herself in the darkened water... she knew there was no hope.

Oil floated along the top of the water... Robots and Organics... Oil and Water... there was no in-between...

Therefore, there was no hope for them.

Forever separated by their element.

No 'heart' could change that.

The emotion created through Metal Amy's features made him stare a moment, she had never shown this expression of sorrow to him before…

Not like this…

And being in her softer form again…

She was about to release the electricity when he pulled her out of the water.

"Stop."

He ordered and grabbed her hand.

"…Stop…"

She was amazed he had just sparred her the electrocution and wondered why.

"…Stop…"

He pulled her hand up to his face and seemed to cut or snap a wire behind his metal muzzle again.

Was he… telling himself… to-

"Remain still."

He shocked her hand, giving her a bit of his power.

She wondered why-

"Now… give it back." He ordered, but his eyes looked slightly gentler.

She did so, and he seemed to rub his head against her soft hand and felt the gentle electric surges charging him. He was sure she was forcing all her power to him, but… unknown to him, she was fully charged and operational.

So she faked getting weak. Avoiding his suspicion.

She let her head fall back and then released pressure in her knee-joints, allowing her metallic frame to collapse. What she supposed he wanted... her to 'faint' or shutdown.

He caught her, thinking her fully drained. The loosened cord wiped around as the sound of it hitting the back of his muzzle suddenly stopped with a click of it plugging itself back in.

Touching her face in the water slightly, she wondered what he was doing as her touch system still seemed functional.

Did Tails not take that out..?

It's possible he didn't even know what it was.

"…I'm glad… you are still… mine."

He lifted her up, flying off into the sky as Metal Amy didn't know how to compute such words from him.

Tails's workshop

The three remained silent with their jaws dropped and eyes white as their sockets in shock and surprise.

Amy slowly moved her hands up and over to the side of her face, slowly turning her horrified and shocked face into a happy one.

He may not be Sonic, but in her mind, that looked like a pretty romantic moment!

…Without the threat of electrocution...! Obviously...

She must not have understood... how truly destructive this relationship was...

And how it could be.

And how it would end.


	6. Chapter 6

Metallic Need

Ch. 6

By: Cutegirlmaya (This may or may not be the end. *Edited note: its not xp* I think I'll try and make it the finale. *Edited note: for season 1 B)* After this story is completed, I won't be posting anymore chapters on any other stories until my mission is complete. So… Yeah XD I hope you enjoy all my stories! And they'll surely entertain you until I get back ;) It was a pleasure writing for you all. Farewell~ *Edited note: I've been back! Yay :D* Please remember there is a song for Metallic Need called "I'm just an Error" and it's on youtube! I'll place the lyrics below.)

When Metal Amy was set down and left alone while the three other Metal counterparts departed to speak, she quickly opened her eyes. Disguising them to be red, she kept up appearances, and turned on her communication system.

A chibi Tails's head and two swaying up and down tails flicked on screen with a 'DOWNLOADING…PROCESSING…LOADING SOFTWARE…' that came on at different times as the animation displayed Tails's head to have his eyes open with a big grin, before tilting down into a closed-eyed smile.

Then, Tails's image flickered on, "Testing, one, two, three. M.A? Can you read me?" it was a lot like a skype call, but could only be projected in her eye screens.

Within her mind, she replied. 'Affirmative. All systems downloaded.'

"Excellent!" Tails smiled, proud of his achievement in converting her 'spy system' into a mental communication line for her. "Wonderful to hear from ya again! But um… well, we do… uh.. have some questions…" Tails grew awkward, scratching behind his head and having some sweat drip down the side of his face, showing a nervous smile at the topic…

Thankfully, the sound was only within her head, which meant it wasn't projecting outward so her former master and associates couldn't hear what came on next…

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Amy burst into view on the communication call, making Tails lean back and to the side of his chair, awkwardly being pinned away from the camera as Amy slammed her hands on the table that seemed to be in front of the computer screen. "He totally cradled you and said, 'I'm glad… you are still mine.' I mean, what was that all about!?" Amy, when describing how Metal Sonic had previously acted at the lake, mimicked him by pretending to hold something and stroke it face, even puckering her lips to give it a 'romantic/dramatic' effect. She then leaned in towards the camera as Metal Amy felt the awkwardness just from seeing her so close, and wished she could zoom out…

"Amy! You're embarrassing her..!" Tails stated, "And me..!" he pushed her face back and away from the camera before looking towards it. "Uhh… I know this must be an odd situation for you,… but… what exactly… are you to him?" Tails asked, trying to be sensitive on the matter and lowered his ears. He was really shocked to see such a blood-thirsty robot show any amount of kindness to anything! And he wasn't even sure that was kindness… but that definitely looked romantic! That's for sure… even with the death threat involved… it was weirdly cryptic and they knew they must have been missing important details to the scene.

"Probably something we don't understand."

Metal Amy's eyes widened at the voice off screen, as Tails and Amy looked to the right of them.

"What do you mean, Sonic?" Tails asked.

'…Sonic…' Metal Amy's eyes turned softer, seeming ashamed that he had seen that, and grew greatly embarrassed. Her simulated sadness showed her eyebrows bend up slightly, truly a look of self-pity. The two looked back to her on the screen.

Sonic's hand then came up as he turned the computer screen to him, and all Metal Amy could see was his smiling face pulling the screen to him as he leaned towards it.

"I can't say I'm not weirded out by what I just saw and heard… but I will say it's none of my business, and that I don't understand Robots very much. Besides, you know how to blow them up. So I'm sure we're all just thinking 'organically' right now. So, whatever happened was just different because of perspective, right?" Sonic was being very reasonable with his logic, maybe even a bit comical, but Metal Amy knew he was wrong. Metal Sonic had not only shown care for her, he also revealed her worst fear….

He had the capacity to feel too…

Which meant…

Error.

Was Metal Sonic really just like her? But had rejected his emotions, which was unlike her, who embraced her feelings and grew a better understanding because of them.

Was she… the superior one?

Such thinking frightened her as she felt that Metal Sonic was meant to be perfect, and if he-himself-was flawed then… what…

What is perfection?

"..M.A?" Tails's voice was heard off-screen before he tugged the computer back towards him, showing his curious face at her silence to Sonic's question. Only the top half of his face came on screen, tilted by the angle, but his face was clear in his innocent concern.

'…It… is as you say.' She lied. '…It's not to the understanding of Organics.' She didn't want them to know Metal Sonic was erroring, even to the degree that he actually showed some form of fondness for her.

They may not understand… or get even more confused by it.

She feared the unknown, as most Organic behavior was unknown to her, and so she couldn't compute what they're reactions to her theory would be. Especially now that it seemed more factual than ever before.

"…Well, it's alright. I'm sure it has an explanation, you just can't really put it into words." Tails scratched his head again, not liking that he couldn't really know, but letting it go. "Anyway, we know he's planning to attack Eggman again, and I've already sent the Doc a warning. He seemed really frantic about that news though, and asked that we protect him while he's getting his defenses back in order…" Tails slowly rolled his eyes horizontally to Sonic, blinking them in sarcastic annoyance.

Sonic looked to him and lifted his hands up in a shrug. "You can't blame me for trashing his toys, Tails. It's part of my standard 'bust Eggman's chops' protocol." Sonic wittily retorted, humorously unfazed by Tails's judging gaze.

"He was whining about not having any defenses because of YOUR last attack, Sonic! Show some sympathy and guilt for your actions!" Amy cried back, not liking how Sonic wasn't looking the least bit remorseful for Eggman's lack of security.

"Hey, he builds them, I destroy them. It's the circle of life." He spun his finger around in a circle, as Metal Amy simulated a giggle, finding Sonic's behavior to be odd and out of the norm. Because of this, her 'heart' data was triggered to think it funny.

"More like a straight line." Amy looked away, mockingly. Sonic glared back at her, not understanding her analogy.

"How so? He keeps building, I keep destroying. It's a round, never-ending circle." He moved behind Tails as she did too, so you could see them bickering in the background as Tails looked even more annoyed by their distraction.

"Well, considering that time you bothered him for no reason-"

"I thought he had something to do with Metal! That's not-!"

"You always rush into things and, not trying to side with Eggman or anything, but you don't often think of other people's feelings! Like mine for instance! When you blew me off to go and try and find Metal on your own! I thought we decided it was date night…" She grumbled as Tails leaned forward, his elbows on the counter, his scrunched up fingers digging into his head. Clearly, he didn't want to be in the middle of this mindless argument…

"First of all, I had a plan. Beat up Eggman and find Metal face. Granted, it was a simple plan, but a PLAN nonetheless!"

Tails took the computer and started walking out of the room.

"And I never agreed to 'date nights'. I mean, where do you get these ideas!?"

Tails shut the door as Metal Amy wished he didn't leave. She was quite worried about the argument but Tails seemed to act like it was no big deal.

He sighed, setting the computer down on his table in front of his couch, then bending down so she saw him well. "They don't usually fight, but when they do, it can be quite… loud sometimes…"

That's... an organic fight?

She wondered how so, since Sonic's reasoning was logical and justified by the situation. But the look on Amy's face... he denied to having promised her anything, then why did Metal Amy want to side with her? She had mentioned people's feelings...

At least she admired that they weren't using combat... Sonic truly was different than her master.

Her previous master...

'I..I see. They both seemed pretty upset.' Metal Amy stated her fears at last.

"Eh, not really. I think Amy starts by trying to make a point, and then kinda just… follows along with her feelings, thinking it's the only time she'll have to keep him there and listening to her. She can get desperate for his attention sometimes… even if he's arguing with her, she still likes to know he's there and listening." Tails rolled his eyes, "And I'm sure Sonic might get a kick out of it too, though he doesn't show it much, I think that's how he expresses himself with Amy. So… it's bad and good. Either way, they don't fight for long, and they're right back to their old selves again."

'….' Metal Amy admired how Sonic would never hurt Amy, even in rage, he would simply fight it out with words and not actions, unlike Metal Sonic… who didn't mind shredding up his support to quell his own frustrations. Sonic and Amy… though not what she knew to be a typical romantic relationship, seemed to get along well anyway. She knew she could never have that kind of relationship with anyone… and slightly envied them for how close they were. Even after their fight, they would continue to be friends, organics were so interesting… and yet… strange as well.

Forgiveness.

Something Metal Sonic didn't possess, nor want.

But that moment… at the lake…

"Stop."

He really did stop her from exacting out her painful electric short-circuit in the water there… maybe…

Does not compute… or maybe… she didn't want to compute it.

Metal Sonic became more and more confusing to her logic by the minute. On one hand, he's so vile and wicked, and the other… a conflict in him that maybe was defeated a long time ago, but now… she's resurfacing those old battles within himself.

'I find their 'expressing themselves' to be a bit… endearing… though scary too.' Metal Amy responded, as Tails looked to the screen a bit surprised, but then smiled and nodded his head, looking up as if agreeing but not really wanting too.

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, your next mission is to let us know when he plans to attack, we'll be ready to move out beforehand and stop him on the way."

'Mission confirmed.' Metal Amy's data systems scanned the new command and started implementing it immediately. Thinking of plans, Metal Amy got up slowly and looked behind her shoulder, checking… 'Commencing spy gear?'

"Commenced confirmed." Tails winked and shut the communication systems off.

He was probably still watching, but it was back to how it was. A silent watcher to a secret plot to kill an old master, Metal Amy thought it all pretty intense.

Slowly getting up, Metal Amy moved along the wall and listened behind her as the three other robots spoke.

"We should attack as soon as it's repaired." Metal Knuckles stated.

"As soon as possible." Metal Tails glared to him, "We can't give them time to repair themselves."

"Yes… we need to attack, even with moderate damages done, we can't let this chance slip away.." Metal Sonic's voice sounded dark and scheming,… there was clearly more to his plan than just obliterating his old master out of the picture. "First, we need to repair what we can, what is apt and functional for battle. Everything else must wait…" he flipped his cape to turn around as Metal Amy hid since her head was peeking out, and she didn't want to be seen…

"Master." Metal Tails stopped him, stepping forward as Metal Sonic looked back to him.

He glared.

"This is important." Metal Tails assured him, "We, nor yourself, will be in perfect form if Sonic and the others appear. I'm certain we can defeat Eggman, but if Sonic shows up… we are not prepared for an ambush." Metal Tails calculated.

"Heh, leave it to Metal Me to think things through." Tails shook his head, still having access to speak with her as she looked up to the side, having heard his voice.

So…he's not going to be so 'silent' anymore, then?

"…." Metal Sonic looked forward, thinking…

"I have an idea…" he walked on as the two others looked to one another, and walked after him.

Metal Amy slowly followed him out before seeing the probability of being caught too high. Down the narrow hallway, she quickly moved back to where she had laid before. That hallway had no place to hide, even if they turned or heard a noise, she felt she couldn't risk her mission failing. Her very existence might be at stake too…

Her dream's existence, that is...

Memorizing how she was placed down, she quickly moved back into position and faked deactivation again.

"What are you doing? We need to hear that counter plan!" Tails shouted out.

'It is too risky, Tails. I need to 'lay low' as it were.' Metal Amy stated.

"This is no time for caution!"

'It must then be a time! I will not jeopardize the mission by being careless.' She glared and closed her eyes.

"…But…" Tails really felt he needed to know Metal Sonic's counter plan. He placed a hand to his chin, rubbing it slightly, and looked down like he had another way of getting what he wanted... but just didn't want to enact it by force. "I didn't want to do this… but I think you leave me no choice."

'Before you do anything-' Metal Amy quickly intervened, not liking the sound of him doing something he didn't want to do to her. 'I can walk freely after they charge me. I shouldn't be deactivated long.'

"Why's that?" Tails stopped from attempting to type something, but she couldn't see him nor his actions.

'I…I do not think they would risk an ambush without me there to provide some form of aid. With imperfections still apparent on them, they will want to have their new injuries countered with quick recoveries. Always moderately proficient, instead of completely useless.'

"…That… does sound logical." Tails still seemed to have his concerns. "But that counter-attack… what if it really trumps us?" Tails asked back, seeming deeply worried about it.

'…You have succeeded in all our attacks and even the ones Metal Sonic performed before my creation. I believe you will always succeed. Your 'faith' in each other will always pull you through. We can not beat your organic bond of 'friendship'." Metal Amy had to think about that one but came to the proper conclusion that a secured team unit was going to always trump Metal Sonic's solo plans. If the Metal beings worked together and stayed close, it may be a whole different story for the Sonic gang. However, because they're assigned certain roles, and not allowed nor willing to really help the other, they are doomed to fail every time.

How had Metal Sonic not seen that? He was clearly brilliant in reasoning. Maybe… he just couldn't compute 'friendship'? Or, more reasonably, didn't want to fathom it as a possible 'power' that existed.

Could he be that ignorant of Organic emotions' powers?

Metal Amy heard sounds coming from another door into her compartment in the ruined complex, as Metal Sonic's footsteps clanked towards her.

"…With that, we should be able to buy enough time to complete our first objective. Now then…"

She felt her weight lifted up and tossed onto something, as cords were strung around her.

She felt multiple hands too, which means the other two were helping as well.

"Once she's fully operational, we should have plenty of backup power to perform the endeavor. Make sure you give her every last watt of electrical power we have left in the hideout. She'll power us through till we succeed, in the which we will then fall back to fight another day." A Metal hand was placed on her head as Metal Amy tried to figure out what Metal Sonic was planning to do with her…

She was to be maintenance again, that was to be expected, but apparently not meant to fight. While they fought, she would repair and sustain them with enough power to move on. So… she was to be flying around charging everyone like before… to give them enough power to kill Eggman and return to base.

"Got it!" Tails stated, and started to think up his own counter plan…

-A Few Hours Later-

It was sort of… ironic really… She was already fully charged, and yet… they were giving her all the power they had left.

In all truth, it gave Sonic and his the advantage, as they could easily fight a bunch of 'half full' Metallic Robots instead of fully charged, killer robots to start with.

Metal Sonic, no… all the Metal Robots were counting on Metal Amy to pull them through.

She felt sad… because this was the first time where she knew she was vital to the plan. She was useful, and not useless. She had a purpose… Only she could make the plan successful.

It could have been the perfect chance to try and prove herself.

She tried not to think about it, faking that she was recharging and slowly got up, grabbing her head to be organic but not so much so that would cause suspicion.

She looked around.

Metal Tails and Metal Knuckles were keeping watch over her, their backs to her and sitting down.

Metal Tails was laying on a pile of scrap metal filled with cords as Metal Knuckles looked to be repairing himself with whatever he could find around him. He even tied a cord around his arm to keep some of the metal from falling apart and then heated the cord's material to melt into the crevices of where his arm was damaged. This provided a quick and easy repair to his armor problem and assured it wouldn't break off so easily in combat once the material cooled.

Metal Amy didn't know whether to let her presence be known to them or not, as they might notice she didn't absorb much of the electricity. She expelled some to let the last bit of electrical energy into her, depleting their supply quickly as her excess electricity just made metal stick to her a little bit more before she shocked a beam near her and got rid of it.

"What befell while I was away?" she asked as the two turned to her, looking less than happy to see her awake, and just quickly went into explanation.

"The Master wishes you to be present in battle as a repair unit, as usual." Metal Tails stated and put his hands on hips, not afraid to show her organic behavior. "I'll try and be more 'errored' for you, so you can understand my words better. Metal Sonic needs you to play nurse again on the sidelines." He grinned tauntingly, which could be done with a slight tightening of the flexible alloy they were made of by the mouthpieces.

"Haha, we're 'hitting up' the big man tonight. Firing down till there's nothing left of the old doctor." Metal Knuckles played along as Metal Amy felt embarrassed, looking down and not liking them mocking her as Metal Sonic sometimes did, showing organic behaviors around her to mock her fascination as well.

"What's wrong, Metal Amy? Did you not recharge well?" Metal Tails moved forward, slowly getting up as she felt a bit threatened when he grabbed her arm. "Come on,… aren't you supposed to shake when you're unwell? Or is that for fear?" Metal Tails shook her arm and made her whole body shake and quiver as well, before laughing as she wiped her arm away from him.

"So, you are here to mock me." She glared at them. "Were you waiting for me to awaken this whole time?"

"…'Awaken'…?" The two started snickering again as her glare turned to sorrowful shame the more she felt embarrassed. She had used an organic terminology again…

She really wasn't helping her cause.

"We were asked to fill you in, and guard you in case Sonic and the team came looking around for you." Metal Tails folded his arms, narrowing his eyes to her. "But I find myself to be more of an asset to them than you. Tell me… why are you so heavily targeted?"

"…What do you mean?" Metal Amy narrowed her eyes in confusion, leaning back slightly. "You suggest that the Master thought I was in peril?"

"We suggest nothing of the sort!" Metal Knuckles swiped his hand out, irritated by her as he also rose up to confront her statements. Metal Amy thought it odd that he was taking her accusation so... personally. "Only that he asked us to make sure Sonic's fox friend didn't lay any finger on ya! He's worried since you are our weakest link, that'd you give them access to our secrets…" He glared and snickered, his shoulders bouncing up and down to convey the simulation.

Their simulations looked a bit awkward, but they were still simulating just as much as she could. She had always thought them, in a way—perfect—and couldn't believe that they too could display organic emotions just like her. But… maybe not as much as to her new understanding of it. Her new 'heart' system allowed greater depth of expression towards organic simulations and feelings.

Could it be… that by designing a robot to counter an organic, something that is by nature already flawed, might possibly lead to that robot actually being somewhat programmed to behave like the natural life they were based on?

Metal art... imitating life?

Metal Amy felt that was silly, but these two… they seemed to show an understanding of emotions… maybe not as advanced as hers, but they simulated it well even without an upgraded 'heart'…

...was it possible? For them to have...

Maybe it was just all the studying. Technically, they were all designed to mimic their counterpart, so showing such behaviors as organics would demonstrate could just be apart of them trying to defeat who they are. When you know your enemy, it's easier to fight them.

Maybe that's why..?

"You seem to be pretty special lately…" with wicked intent seeping from his voice, Metal Tails moved behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Yeah… what makes the Master and even Sonic, our greatest enemy, so interested in getting their hands on you, huh?" Metal Knuckles stepped up towards her as she began to move away, fearing they may just tear her apart instead of Metal Sonic…

"I… I don't know what you're talking about!" she glared back to Metal Knuckles. "I'm not in the least bit more important than you two."

The two stopped their bullying to look at her and then each other. "Really?" Metal Tails stated before they both looked back to her, grinning from cheek screw to cheek screw.

"Then tell me… what happened between you and the Master within the Electric Shower beforehand?"

"What?!" Metal Amy froze, trying to halt all simulation of panic or terror.

"Yeah. Metal Tails calculated an electrical power surge that…" Metal Knuckles shrugged. "Blew the whole thing up."

"Could it be… there's something going on we don't know about? Miss Favorite?" Metal Tails slashed his two tails in the air, as they slightly thinned into a blade.

She was scared to death now! They were jealous! But not just that, they knew she and Metal Sonic had destroyed their only source of renewable power supply! And they knew about the power surge…

"Must of felt pretty good…" Metal Tails moved closer, threatening the blades to slice her if she moved. His metallic muzzle hovered just behind her own metal cheek...

"I wonder… could we, perhaps, have the same charging…?"

"I wouldn't mind exploding this place up. So long as you go with it…" Metal Knuckles shrugged again, simulating the same action twice, which showed how little he understood organic behaviors. He glared a look of hostile intent, eyes flaring red as he continued his once halted approach towards her.

The two began to trap her against the large disk that had just supposedly charged her up, but Metal Amy shook free of Metal Tails's ambush. Steadily, the two closed in on her as she fled to the side with small steps back.

"Y-you want me to do.. what?!" Metal Amy was afraid they really were gonna blow her up while making her recharge them… but they were unaware of HOW Metal Sonic and her had created that power surge…

Without blowing up, too.

"What's the matter? Don't we get the same privilege? After all, it is in your programming to recharge us all. What's wrong? Your errors making you scared of death?"

"R…Robots don't die." She shivered, unable to control her 'heart' programming. She knew if she shifted into her battle form and attacked that it could lead to her getting damaged. If Metal Sonic had to repair her, the mission would be jeopardized by him finding out about Tails's programming and touch ups!

She was already lucky he hadn't touched her programming, this was too risky... she couldn't engage them like this.

And acceptance was not an option.

"What's the holdup, Metal Amy? Charge me!" Metal Knuckles jumped at her as she flipped herself around, grabbing the edge behind her and using an acrobatic like twist jump onto the clear and colorful luminescent disk, with all the cords sprawled out that once gave her power.

"N..No!" she cried out, afraid of them as she shifted into her battle form, her systems triggered by the threat of an up and oncoming attack.

"Then… We have ways of making you!" Metal Tails flew up and tried to grab her head, thinking he could rewire something to make her charge them as she did Metal Sonic before.

"It's-! Bzz, It's not what you're thinking!" He had opened her head as she tried to swat him away with her hand. They didn't realize that Metal Sonic had helped in that power surge, making it as powerful as it was! They didn't realize… they didn't compute… how the two had acted then...

Her head 'bzz'ed as her systems started crashing with Metal Tails fiddling with her head, hanging on despite her struggling. With her moving around, he was clicking or pulling out wires that shouldn't have been disconnected, and she was starting to malfunction.

"Woah! Metal Amy! Metal Amy, hold on!" Tails started to try and override her systems to have him take control over her, his secret trump card in case things went wrong, but Metal Tails noticed a few things out of place.

"Hmm..?" he blinked his eyes. "What are these..? A wireless-! BZZLTZ!" he was electrocuted by the inner-electrical security system she had and his voice chip slightly went a pitch higher as he cried out and was shot halfway across the room.

Metal Amy could only imagine what Tails went through when he first started meddling with her head too…

'T-Tails! System damage! System-bbzz'

"Hang in there!"

Tails started controlling her body as Metal Knuckles came at her and she hit him off. "Yikes! These two are crazy! What are they even talking about!?"

'Too much to-bzzz-explain!'

She didn't want to explain herself anyway.

"BBerrrzzzZZZ, You're going against programming… by not… bbzzz… charging us!" Metal Tails slowly got up, still damaged from the previous fight with Sonic and Eggman. He was having a hard time not sparking from limb to limb, and after Amy got his circuit board all jumbled up, he was barely able to lift himself off the ground.

His upper torso was up against the beam, back to it, and his arms were trying to get him fully up. However, his legs were twitching and malfunctioning with sparks and loose wires as well.

Metal Knuckles punched her while she stared.

Tails didn't see it coming.

"Woah! That one blindsided me!"

Tails seemed to be thinking this more of a combat game, but to her, this was still her life.

She had fought so hard for freedom... somehow, she felt she had to regain it again.

Because she didn't have any control over herself, it made her even more afraid. Finally, she had to take a stand.

'Tails! Cease operations immediately! I need to fight back on my own terms! ..bzzz.'

"Are you sure? Your mainframe is disconnected, I don't think you can-"

"I sense a-bzzz-wireless signal within your head. Who is-BBBZZZ-messaging you!?" Metal Tails threw himself forward while holding himself off the ground, activating his helicopter-like tail-blades.

"What? You mean,…" Metal Knuckles looked to Metal Tails before backing off. "The Master! She may have contacted him! Her spy system, remember?!"

'Oh… that's right.' Metal Amy smirked. She could FOOL them, if not defeat them.

"Metal Sonic, have you seen all of this?" she fibbed while the two began to slowly move back. "Affirmative. I shall leave them to you." she looked up as if speaking to her open head. 'Now, Tails! Proceed to get me out of here!'

"Ah! R-roger that!" Tails activated her jets on her feet and below her dress, which were her turbo boosters, and she shot off out of the room.

Metal Sonic was scouting out Eggman's HQ, before sending out a signal to them all. He wondered why Metal Amy's communications couldn't be tapped into but knew he couldn't dwell on it right now. He figured it was probably just damages done by all the attacks she had to endure.

"Metal Tails, Metal Knuckles. Report to Eggman's HQ, bring Metal Amy. We strike tonight..."

Metal Knuckles blinked to Metal Tails. "He is not angry with us?"

"Perhaps he plans to destroy us at a more convenient time..." Metal Tails suggested.

"…Is my command not clear…?" Metal Sonic looked back behind him, not hearing a response from their communicators.

The two jolted in spot, afraid...

"W-we compute, Master!" They both quickly ran to fix up Amy, they're programming forcing them to obey Metal's Command.

Metal Amy didn't like them repairing her. She didn't trust them. But they had no time to argue it seemed. It was just very… awkward…

They scrambled over her repairs, even resetting some of Tails's work, not questioning the order of her construction.

"Grr…What does he even-bzzz- see in you?" Metal Tails was fixing the damage he did in her head as quickly and efficiently as possible, not even bothering to care about the unfamiliar wires. He simply put everything back where it seemed to go or attach to. His head was 'bzz'ing out and sparking, but he screwed it down so the sparks couldn't escape and leak out precious electrical energy he so desperately needed.

Metal Knuckles was fixing her as well, "I could be his favorite… he just hasn't seen my perfection yet!" he mumbled at a low volume…

The three set out as Tails had already sent Amy and Sonic to get Knuckles and head to Eggman's base, hoping to stop Metal Sonic's plan and maybe even take him down. Once… and for all!

-In the Dead of Night-

Metal Sonic had awaited his team to arrive near a rendezvous point.

The three arrived and slowly came down from the sky, their jets shimmered and cooled off just before they landed.

"And of the machine?" Metal Sonic asked.

Metal Tails stepped forward and bowed a bit, "We gave it a quarter of the power, as you commanded, Master." He was really sucking up, trying to maybe survive being scrapped by succeeding in at least getting the countermeasure prepared and ready for combat.

'Machine…?' Metal Amy glanced to Metal Tails, not sure what that was. 'Tails, there appears to be a countermeasure involving a machine of some kind. We are also a few miles from Eggman's HQ, as we have apparently located it. Do you comply? Tails..? Tails!' without having an answer, Metal Amy's systems already started looking for an answer.

While fixing her up, Metal Tails had connected some wires incorrectly, due to his inexperience with Tails's technology. He never really did dissect anything his counterpart built or created to learn about it, perhaps because he felt a robot could build better than an organic. It could have also been to show respect for his master's work, as to not insult him by looking at the work of another creator…

"We attack immediately. Signal when the Doctor is dead!" Metal Sonic shot forward, blasting off towards the HQ to lead the charge. while he took off, Metal Amy could see bits and small pieces falling from his armor as he trailed the night sky in a blaze of light.

"…You stay back." Metal Knuckles walked up from behind Metal Amy, glaring once he had made his way in front of her. This was probably still to assert some superiority or domiance over her,... but she finally understood why. "If we need you, we'll contact you." he blasted off.

"Wait! I cannot… receive…" Metal Amy reached up to stop him, to tell him that her communications were down, especially for Metal Sonic's; considering they were completely pulled out, she wouldn't be able to tap into the communications between her and her former companions. She knew they would have to discover that the hard way.

However...Metal Tails wasn't taking off… He turned his head to look back at her from over his shoulder, also having taken the lead ahead of her by stepping up to answer his master beforehand.

He stared… as if suspicious of the technology he had seen.

"…I know not why the Master favors you so." He stated, "But to give you upgrades that even I'm not familiar with?" his eyes narrowed.

Metal Amy remained silent, understanding the hurt he must feel, as he seemed to always think he was the most important out of them all. Well, he was the brains, and Metal Sonic tended to be more harsher on him for it anyway.

He assumed the designs in her that he didn't recognize were advances given to her by Metal Sonic's upgrades, which also made him seem even more jealous of her, but in a more sorrowful way now. He wondered what he hadn't done right, seeing as he hadn't received such advancements, nor the same treatment of favoritism that Metal Sonic clearly showed for her.

"…Why are your errors so amusing to him…? But then our errors are a disgust... practically an insult…" Metal Tails held a hand up, looking at it before gazing up as if this question had really haunted him. "I compute better than you… I could easily defeat my counterpart if left alone to contend with him… I could even turn you to scrap metal and prove more helpful without the two of you around!" he crunched his hand into a tight fist, which shook and spurted out shocks of electric power. His armor, which he had tried to lock down into place so the electricity couldn't escape, suddenly came loosened by his own force...

"…Metal Tails…" Metal Amy stepped forward, empathizing with him. "I, too,… had once thought I was meaningless to you two…" she looked down, being sincere in her words.

"Heh." He stimulated a sharp and criticizing chuckle, meant to mock her. "I never said I felt meaningless. I know I am worth more than the lot of you, that is why this is so… frustrating…" he looked away, glaring at how he couldn't compute this through.

She took his insult and just held her head down. Still trying to remain strong, she continued...

"I knew not my true design's reasoning… nor my purpose to the master… but… I took what I knew was within me, and through my will alone, I created something more than I think even Metal Sonic thought I could be. I became my own being. I made my own weaknesses… my strengths. Through my errors… I have calculated more clearly, and have seen more truth than what's in facts and logic." She saw him turn to her, looking depressed but still easily suppressing the urge to rip her in two. His rage and his envy... Even if he wanted to direct his aggressions out on her, his programming prohibited it. He could never go against Metal Sonic's command...

"I… I am more than what my creator… created me to be."

"…What you speak could be considered treason… or blasphemy." Metal Tails stood taller, lowering his hand and loosening the tight grip it once had.

"…I know." She looked down and away, holding a hand up to her chest. "…But hear my words, Metal Tails, and grow wise." She turned back and held a strong look in her eyes.

"There is more to us than Metal Sonic's objectives."

"You do speak treason!"

In shock and bewilderment, Metal Tails turned around and held himself ready to attack, his eyes shaking at what he heard. "By programming, you can't betray the master,… how exactly far down the rabbit hole are you!?"

"Farther than you, or even Metal Sonic, can comprehend!" she was tired of holding back and sick of being mocked for her errors, which she knew were her greatest strength now!

She charged Metal Tails, and already in her battle form, began to fight him.

A metallic screech was heard from Metal Tails as he fought back, enraged at her talk and betrayal. But more so... he couldn't even compute going against his design—to serve Metal Sonic's objectives—and feared that perhaps... if she could compute it... that she was more able than he. He spun his tails like saws into her core, but she hit him away with her hammer and smashed his tails into thin, scrunched up panels which zig-zagged as the powerful weapon crashed straight through them.

"You… how are you able to defy even the master?!" Metal Tails was too busy trying to compute how an error could get so bad that it had overridden concrete programming. As he battled, his head came a little unscrewed from when he had clamped it down before, and more sparks began to fly everywhere from his neck. "Of course… hehehe… of COURSE! You never escaped Tails! He rebuilt you! Modified you! You defy only because you CAN. HAHAHA…" he was literally losing his mind with all the energy sparking so wildly now from around him. With his body dent and bent, more of his armor cracked and the electrical lightning escaped in a true frenzy; like fireworks from his legs and the side of his neck, which began to spread rapidly all around any loose cranny or joint. "YOU...BZZ… YOU CAN'T SERVE two masters…BZZ I-I-I…BZZZ.." his vocal chip was beginning to spark out as weird sounds were now being heard from it.

Metal Amy jumped away, seeing as he was ready to explode. The lightning being attracted to her as well, she had to dodge it multiple times, causing her to move farther and farther away from him...

As he sparked in a wild array of lights and electricity, he looked up into the night sky, knowing he was about to combust and cradled the moon in his sparking, shaking hands.

"I…BZZZ HAVE alwAYS admiRED… THE MOOoooooon…" his vocal chip finally faded.

His eyes dimmed to nothing but a cold, oval sphere before his whole body slowly began to twitch more violently until finally escalating to an explosion.

Metal Amy put her hands over her mouth, horrified that her brother just died so violently to his own injuries, which she used to be programmed to repair… she then had to guard against his body parts flying out everywhere.

She turned to look down at her former brother, bending down to pick up a piece of his head frame, with its eye screens blasted through, and wires slowly subsiding in their sparking.

"…Then you too… knew that errors were a beautiful thing."

She held the half facepiece up to her, and embraced it a bit, lowering her head to show mourning for her fallen brother.

Metal Amy then quickly moved on, letting the half mask-like face frame fall as she ran to try and find Tails.

Her tracker system was still engaged, so if he was concerned about not contacting her, maybe he'd find her.

Then again, that would be too risky, as he may believe her to still be with Metal Sonic and the gang.

She ran towards the forest, trying to find Amy, Sonic, or even Knuckles. But before she could even start her search, she spotted Metal Knuckles punching through some hordes of Eggman's last remaining robots, breaking a wall in for Metal Sonic to dive into.

"…I should… start confronting them." she was afraid, but it wouldn't be long before they figured out Metal Tails's communication was cut-off. They would wonder what had happened...

Before she could take another step, she heard a sound that triggered her voice recognition and turned behind her.

From a distance, Tails had seen her and jumped out of his plane, which was now on autopilot as he raced to Metal Amy's side.

'Typical organic,...' she thought with a smile, though the logic of coming to find her was highly risky. Tails still took that risk to find her, who he now considered a good friend.

It was so unlogical… unpredictable…

She really admired Organics.

Even though logic states they shouldn't be able to exist with so many bad decision made in their lives,...

they still do.

'Nature's really something.'

"M.A! Oh man, I was so worried about you!" he raced up and stopped just a little away from her. She flew the rest of the distance to him, thinking along the way, and still smiling at her thoughts and conclusions. He was bent down, holding himself up from his knees in exhaustion from coming to meet her. But he, too, smiled at seeing her again.

"Once the communications were disconnected, I tried to find a way to you as soon as possible! Are you alright?"

"I am most grateful for your concern. Though, this is highly dangerous. I have already destroyed Metal Tails. Metal Sonic and Metal Knuckles are fairly weakened, attacking them now would be most opportune."

"Woah, you're talking all weird. You've been spending too many hours with robots again." Tails grinned, laughing at his own joke, and gestured for her to bend her head down and come closer to him by moving his hands in rotated circles. "Come on, then. Let's take a look at what amateur work my other did on your brain here…"

While Tails touched things up and moved other things around a bit, he took the opportunity to also reconnect her data chip to his own wireless receiver. This allowed memory to be recorded at a distance onto his copy of her old data chip.

While he checked to make sure everything worked out alright, Sonic and the gang began to intercept Metal Sonic.

"Hey, Metal butt! Got a second?"

"..!"

The proceeding violent whiplash of Metal Sonic's head as his body turned was followed by a huge metallic ring of some kind, threatening in nature, as wild rage swiftly followed it from his eyes.

"SONIC, THE HEDGEHOG."

"METAL SONIC, THE ANNOYING WANNABE."

Sonic did his best impression of a robot, the voice and everything, even a little dumb robotic miming but… it kinda just looked like him doing the robot dance move with the whole turning your body on your heels and moving your arms in crooked right angles up and down.

"MUST DESTROY... SONIC'S AWESOMENESS."

"You mock me for the last time…"

Metal Sonic drew forth his blade fingers and held them to his face. "This is where you DIE."

"I AM A ROBOT, THEREFORE, I CANNOT DIE."

"GRAAAHHH!"

Metal Sonic launched himself at Sonic, as Metal Knuckles proceeded to find Eggman, wondering where Metal Tails was…

"BEING A DUMB ROBOT, I CAN'T COMPUTE SUCH LAME ATTACKS. THEREFORE, THEY SHALL NOT TOUCH MY AWESOMENESS. THEREFORE-"

"You're talking like you're the dumb robot, Sonic!"

Sonic had dodged his attack and continued the robotic charade, before realizing his fault in his joke and scratching the back of his head nervously, embarrassed for his blunder. "…Oh, right. Haha, guess I just loved the voice too much. Heheh… well, point is, you're the dumb robot. WOAH!" Sonic was almost pierced through, and quickly leaned back like the matrix a bit to dodge it, and then back-flipped and kicked Metal Sonic in the head with his foot while coming up from the maneuver. "Oh! Headshot!"

"Graahhhh…!" Metal Sonic scratched himself when rubbing off the dirt from Sonic's shoe that was now covering some of his face, and continued to pursue him.

"What's wrong, Metal? Don't like to get your 'perfect' face dirty? Haha!"

"Sonic! Look out!" Amy cried out, having been trying to locate Eggman with Knuckles to protect him before she stopped to see Metal fly above Sonic and shoot him down another level through the floor.

"Ah! Sonic!" Knuckles stopped running and skidded to a halt, looking back as they were crossing from the hallway up ahead. Sonic was smashed down into the below floor, Metal Sonic's red eyes blurred against the blue as they shot down quickly. The light faded after a moment but still left the two stunned at how fast it all had taken place.

"Go on and defend Eggman!" Amy summoned her hammer, "I'll protect Sonic!" she leaped down the hole, as Knuckles tried to rush after her, reaching out to stop her.

"Wait! You can't possibly-!... Aw, shucks…" he looked down the hole, seeing her already gone. "Well… can't be helped. Be careful!" he cried down to her, cupping his hands over his mouth so she could hear it, and raced back to find Eggman.

Metal Sonic and Sonic rolled and bounced on the ground, kicking and hitting as Metal Sonic tried to spike Sonic through his head, but he was dodging fairly well before getting a little scratched up here and there.

However, when they stopped moving, Metal finally got the upper hand... rolling on top of Sonic to pin him down, he reached a hand back, hoping to end him quickly enough to where Sonic had no time to think of an escape route. "Goodbye, Sonic The Hedgehog!"

"NOOO!" Amy rushed forward, hammer wielded behind her as Metal Sonic looked behind him, surprised to see she was there. He was hit away by her hammer off of Sonic, and rolled before slamming into the wall.

"A-Amy…" Sonic slowly got up as she jumped down and embraced him. "WHA-AMY! Take it easy there…This isn't time for a reunion..."

"Oh, Sonic! I saw our very lives flash before my eyes! Without you, half of me would have been gone! I just couldn't let him end us like that! I just couldn't! You and I are connected through the bonds of love—and nothing, not even my childhood nightmare—can EVER come between us! Ohhhh!"

"…Uh…heheh." Sonic awkwardly sweat-dropped, smiling nervously as he wished she would get off of him before Metal him got back on his feet again.

Which… he did.

Metal Sonic stammered back on the ground floor before his red eyes shot up to see the two. "How fitting…" he stated and held his long bladed fingers out. "To shred you both, as I should of when I first was created…"

"Eek!" Amy gripped Sonic harder as he choked a bit before lightly pounding her back to let him breathe.

"Seems our Amys tend to aid more than we thought." Metal Sonic looked down at them, holding a different look than just pure annoyance and rage, and seemed to think of his own Metal Amy.

He couldn't see any familiarity with Amy and his metal counterfeit creation of her. Metal Amy had become... different than her original design. Amy Rose was still an enigma... but that hammer reminded him of something...

She was still nothing but a threat to his objective of destroying Sonic.

"Oh yeah, she stopped me from scrapping you into the trash before, right?" Sonic looked up and to the side, putting his pinkie finger in his ear and twisting it around a bit. "As I recall, she's the only reason you're still functional."

"I could say the same for you." Metal Sonic glared.

Sonic turned back to him, looking like he was actually thinking about that comment. He held Amy in his arms and got up, smirking before acting innocent as if he didn't understand Metal Sonic. He shrugged an arm up, the other still protectively around Amy's waist. "I have no idea what you're trying to say. But I'm just glad you admitted your Amy's the only thing that you did right."

Metal Sonic revved up his engine. "I am perfect without her! Even without her aid that day, I would have still destroyed you!"

"Riiiight, and I'm guessing once her task is done you'll scrap her up with the rest of your little gang, right?"

"…"

"See, Metal. You'll never beat me because you're always on your own. And the sad part is? Well, actually, there's a lot of sad things about you, to be honest. But the main sad thing is that you just don't get it. My friends are my strength—that you actually solved. Bravo. But your 'counter' to my friends? Yeah, that would have never worked. You're always alone, even when you made yourself some followers, they're not your friends. Friends are more powerful than anything, and you can't make them, you earn them."

Amy stayed close to Sonic's side, having her hands upon his chest as she could slightly feel how he pushed her against him. He was making sure that if Metal Sonic made any speedy moves towards them, that he had a tight grip on her, and could easily protect her. If she moved—even a little bit—she could feel his arm pulling her back, almost a silent warning to stay close and you'll be safer.

She blushed a bit from it, liking the feeling that Sonic was so close and protecting her in what seemed like a scary moment. However... she didn't feel much fear. Metal Sonic was someone she had always feared, but being in Sonic's arms? Her fears just melted away~ She was with her Sonic, and that meant more to her than any other emotion in existence. She wished she could do the same for him someday… if he ever needed it, anyway, teehee~

"Hmph, you really think there's a difference? Numbers are numbers, Sonic. With absolute loyalty, there is strength." Metal Sonic glared back, lifting up his hand and crushing it into a fist. His daggers sparked at the force of how fast he closed his hands while the silver alloy rubbed against each other, but his fingers on that hand perfectly retracted before he could pierce himself.

"Really? How's that coming along with Metal Amy, by the way?"

"What!?" Metal Sonic bent down into a fighting pose. "What do you mean!?"

"Uhh… S-Sonic?" Amy wasn't sure why he would alert Metal Sonic to Metal Amy's disloyalty, but she trusted him enough to not interrupt again.

In Sonic's mind, he wanted Metal Sonic to target something other than him and Amy. He needed to get her out of there, and if that meant spending an evil robot off to fight a reformed and still possibly able to fight robot... then that's better than losing a real life. Especially Amy's life, since he'd rather risk his own safety than place his friends in harm's way.

Sonic smiled cockily, holding a firm look in his eyes. He bent his head down slightly, but never took his eyes off Metal Sonic.

"'I'm glad you're still mine'…? Yeah right, I'd take a closer look if I were you. No woman likes to be controlled, pal."

He held up a finger and waved it around, his typical mocking gesture.

"Best make up and beg for forgiveness. Girls don't forgive that easily."

"What are you…"

Metal Sonic's eyes widened.

"…You've tampered with her!"

His eyes glowed red, and his whole body shook with uncontrollable rage.

"How?! How did you know about-!?"

"You keep saying you hate emotions, Metal. But I constantly see anger, hatred, and… maybe something more when it comes to your little nurse. If I were you, I wouldn't take your own 'greatest creation' for granted. She may not say it, but she does admire you, even if you terrify her. She's grown strong through learning about herself and about our world… in all honesty, she's a better robot than even you are."

Sonic placed his other hand on his hip and smirked. "Anyway, fun talkin' to ya. But I got my own Amy to save." He picked Amy up quickly and started dashing out, seeing as Metal Sonic was literally losing it with rage.

"SSS…SSOO…SOONIIIIIICCCCC!" Reeling his head back, Metal burst through the many floors of the building, trying to locate Metal Amy.

"P-please… Don't kill me!" Eggman humorously hid behind his big round chair. At first, he held his hands together and pleaded on his knees behind it, batting his eyes with little eyelashes on them, before freaking out and crawling away. He raced to his desk in frightful tears as Metal Knuckles launched missiles and lasers at him.

"I'm too beautiful to die..!" he whined out, diving behind it before suddenly seeing a mechanized gun laying underneath it...

"WHA-HA!"

He jumped up and pointed it confidently to Metal Knuckles, as Metal Knuckles held a single finger up. It held a red light that aimed directly for the gun's barrel and shot inside it.

"…Well, that's not good."

The gun exploded in Eggman's hands as he shuffled backwards on the ground, "Please! You don't want to kill me! I created your master! I can upgrade you to be just like him! Honest, I can.. Don't shoot!" he whined out his last plea, backing away and then holding out his hands in front of his face. You know, to protect the beautiful mustache~

Metal Knuckles stopped his fist, hesitating for a moment at his words…

Before he could respond or think it through, though his programming would ail him from betraying Metal Sonic anyway, Knuckles burst through the door. He punched another robot through as he did so, holding his arms out in pride. "Did someone order a Knuckle-sandwich?"

Metal Knuckles glared and turned around, ready to fight, but then…

"I shall deal out the 'sandwich'."

Metal Amy dropped through the roof and held a cool pose, thinking she would be 'awesome' by Sonic's standards. Though… she didn't quite nail the punch line.

Wait… punchline?

Metal Amy dashed forward and took Metal Knuckles by surprise, punching into his muzzle and hitting him back off his feet. It was an impressive fleet, considering he was the heaviest of the metal bunch.

"Delivered. Did you say, 'ah'?" she teased, actually sliding her mouthpiece back to reveal an empty rectangle, trying to signal an open mouth before tilting her head cutely and closing it.

Knuckles looked confused a moment and then disappointed.

"Aw man, that's what I was gonna say!" he laughed, obviously not that torn up about it.

"Haha! Hey Metal Amy, I'll take care of Eggman. You deal with Metal Me, alright? I've already knocked this guy out one too many times." Knuckles helped Eggman up and rushed him out. "Though, I do love a good fight. But I'm sure I'll still get some action later on! After all, Metal Sonic's still flying around, right?"

"Affirmative…" Metal Amy looked down, still concerned about having to rebel against him pretty soon...

"You traitor… I knew you were beneath me!" Metal Knuckles pointed accusingly at her, struggling to get up and recover from that previous hit. "Good thing the Master made a brilliant back up plan!" Metal Knuckles stepped back and held himself tall. "Master, I'm activating the machine."

"Ah! M-machine?"

Outside, a large and quickly scrapped up canon gun rolled up to the surface from a large distance away. The earth around the area shook as panels moved to allow it to rise up, flop it's huge barrel down and automatically start charging itself up for an attack.

"That's right." Metal Knuckles folded his arms. "The Master had Metal Tails design it and me build it! We constructed it while you were deactivated and recharging. Took you long enough… heh. Shows how truly ineffective you are!" he unfolded his arms and spat out an insult at her. "I could have charged twice, no, thrice as quickly! You're just so errored, you can't even do a basic charge up!... Wait! That means we wasted all our precious energy on a traitor! Ohhh… Now I'm really mad!"

"Grr…" she wanted to hit him again but held it back. "But what about materials? How were you able to-..?" she stopped her questions a moment. He said 'mad'...

She decided not to question it. He was probably just like Metal Tails, hiding his 'errors'.

"Where did you get the power? I thought I had what was left…"

"We took a quarter from what we had and gave it to the cannon gun. It has enough for two big, bad blasts. We constructed it off of the old HQ's remains." He explained.

"B…brilliant." She looked away.

"Heh. That's just the Master for ya, always a backup plan. That's funny, weren't you a back up too? Not even a finished product, just something to poke fun at and shred up when he had the time. HAHAHA!" Metal Knuckles simulated laughter, as Metal Amy twitched her fist.

"All you ever were to him was a punching bag! At least you saved us the hassle of having to entertain his need to destroy."

She charged him.

"I won't let that thing charge up!"

She brought out her hammer again and smashed it into him.

As they fought, her getting more torn up and dented by the minute, the canon began to spark to life and blasted a beam forward.

Metal Amy let out a small computerized whine and looked to Metal Knuckles. They were held in an arm lock from the front, holding one another in place by gripping their shoulders.

"It's headed straight for this room!" she cried out.

"Heh, like I said. I wouldn't mind blowing up if that means I take you with me!"

"Why are you like this?! Why do you hate me so?" Metal Amy asked, looking up at him with sorrow and a true honest pleading in her eyes to know the truth.

"You want to know why?" Metal Knuckles raised an angry metallic eyebrow, shoving his forehead against hers, denting some of her metallic quills. "Because I was meant to be superior just like the master! I was meant to be his right-hand man! But he always abandoned me and Metal Tails to spend time with you! His little pink favorite! And you weren't even battle ready in the beginning! He made you so cute, but so errored. I was always perfect! I was meant to be above you all!"

"You betrayed him!"

"I ERRORED ONCE!" he cried out before Metal Amy saw the light of the beam drawing closer, reaching over landscapes to reach this very spot it had targeted for.

"And now,…FINALLY… I can prove to Metal Sonic my worth… by destroying you—I shall be his favorite!"

"You're wrong… he'll never love you. He can't love, he's incapable of it! Metal Knuckles… Metal Knuckles, you can't be perfect!" she cried out, looking down as his face slightly widened, his grip loosening.

Her battle systems indicated a weakness in his footing, and in her sorrow, she knew she had to do it.

She threw him out into the window and flung herself so hard back to the side that she banged against the wall. The beam struck the room and Metal Knuckles. If she could cry, she would have, seeing her Metal brother die only because he was trying to be the perfect son of his father-like figure…

trying to be just like him…

Perfect.

All he really wanted was praise it seemed. To be told he's good enough now, and make up for that one time he failed Metal Sonic. Metal Tails only wanted to feel like he had done right and completed his tasks with exactness. Each wanted to feel important to Metal Sonic… who was their creator...

someone they viewed as…

Perfect.

Metal Amy then wondered, having the building and roof collapse over her…

What was perfection?

In a ray of horror, the building was no more. Neither was there the faint shadow of Metal Knuckles's tossed body. Metal Amy knew that even without being hit directly by the beam, the heat alone would surely melt her as the cannon gun kept blasting through without stopping.

She heard the wall break through and crumble down as Metal Sonic's body came into view, looking down on her.

She froze in fear, the very being that had created all this death in the first place, all this sorrow and tragedy…

Metal Sonic.

"…Come." He grabbed her at once and flew through the opening he made, flying out of the beam's way and into the forest outside.

He grabbed his cape and flung it over himself, kneeling down in front of her, and shielding them both. He forced her slightly below his body, keeping her in front so that his head was just above hers, guarding her against the melting beam and from being destroyed by the heat wave that came along with the powerful blast. It traveled like a train, wrecking anything in its path, and converting it into nothing more than mere dust...

Oh… so that's why he wore a cape. It must have resistant properties like fibers in it that could take extreme heats from fire or blasts like this one. Brilliant... Those words kept lingering in her thought processes... He could be in an explosion and survive it with that as his cloaked shield.

Still traveling through the air behind them, the beam from the machine blasted right through and disintegrated the upper half of a large mountain in the distance, upon which it started to thin out and fade, dispersing its form from the building and beginning to recharge itself. It only took a few minutes of exposure, but the mountain had taken most of the 'oomph' out of the beam. So finally, it stopped traveling through the air and ended its trail of utter obliteration.

Metal Sonic slowly moved up, the cape rolling gently off and to the side of him like sleek, black metal with a strange fluidity to it. It was still attached but very ripped up and shredded. He saw some rocks falling from the sky in the distance, most likely due to the mountain getting hit, and gazed at them. Probably judging their trajectory, he seemed to calculate that they were mostly out of harm's way now.

He then looked down to Metal Amy, a slight tilt of his head and still... those red eyes...

"M-Master, I-"

His hand gripped her neck, making her immediately stop her sentence and grasp for his hands as he slowly stood to his full height. She was forced to stand up with him too as he pulled her up with him, holding a tight grip on what little space she had for a throat.

She didn't breathe—of course—but her neck held the main, bundled together wiring of every function within herself. If her brain was disconnected from her body, she would be lifeless, unable to communicate with the rest of herself.

"…You have betrayed me?"

His voice was far past deadly,... it was beyond hope of redemption for her. Her cleverness wouldn't save her from the battle about to ensue now...

"Tell me… what did he do to you? What… endless joys did he promise you on the other side..? Hmm, Metal Amy..?"

He lowered his head down with a deeper glare, squeezing tighter on her neck, starting to severe off all electrical connections that moved information and power from her mind through her whole body.

"Oh,… and do be clever."

He taunted her, ready to snap the wires all bundled inside her neck area and leave her powerless to a sparking, cruel, and motionless depletion of power in seconds.

"..H-he… He allowed me to compute." She stated, realizing he knew.

She looked up, knowing this was the end anyway.

"I found my answer."

"…What answer?"

His eyes narrowed to a deep glare.

"That you are never to be the beloved organic you so wish to mimic..? That you so lovingly risked your entire EXISTENCE to be… That you are WEAK, and USELESS to me now that he has tampered with your main data frame!? I have to kill you and start all over! Is that what you wanted!? Your swift destruction!? Because by my hand only can I deliver that glorious wish! At least death has reason and logic to it!"

...Kill?

"That…"

She was so afraid, but she forced herself to keep speaking.

"That you are not… p-perfect."

She kept trying to pull his hand away from her neck area.

To keep trying… to not give up.

Even in the face of death... his metallic blue face... she had to keep going.

She had to keep living for her 'heart'... and she knew that. More than anything else in the whole world she knew... she knew the truth of it all now.

The truth he tried to hide.

"You... You are just like me! You… y-you are errored!" she couldn't believe she said that, and neither did Metal Sonic.

She kicked him off of her once her eye scanners picked up a weakness in his armor, an exposed area on his left side.

He released her from his hold as she stumbled away, gently holding her dented neck.

Metal Sonic got up from the impact, hunching over a moment in amazement and dread at her words. His engine sparked to life as his anger grew ten-fold. His creation had been taken away from him,... her mind not his to command or control anymore…

In his mind… she wasn't his anymore. She was Sonic's! Or, more accurately... she was being controlled by Tails, his accomplice.

"…Is that your conclusion?" He started with a light bit of laughter, shifting his before look of sad realization.

He then reeled his head up and laughed even louder.

"You are still so pathetic!"

He charged her with a burst from his engine as her defense system activated and forced her to block with her hammer. He tried to tear into the hammer's cylinder but only ended up managing to mark it up with scars.

"What am I missing then!?" she cried back, performing the first hit against him, something she never thought she could ever do. Attack her master…

"There is no perfect, is there!? It was all just a delusion within yourself! You knew you couldn't be organic... You hated Sonic! But because Sonic was organic, he could win, you know why?!" she fell back as he momentarily stopped. She had to keep flying back to try and dodge him, being bombarded with his deadly sharp claws spiking into her hammer and trying to reach her.

"SHUT UP!" he spiked a tree right through, and ripped the entirety of it out from the ground to have it crash into her. Her eyes widened as the branches whacked her down, but she burned the tree with her jets and blasted out as a high-speed chase began.

He pulled his hand out of the fallen tree's trunk and raced after her.

"METAL AMY..!"

He wasn't going to let her get away that quickly…

"He was unpredictable!" She flew to where the rocks were still falling from the sky and hit some at him, changing their route with a decisive swish of her hammer. He fell back from his pursuit and defended against the hits. This strangely reminded her of when she was still incomplete, back in space. How the three had looked at her with a sense of superiority over her... simply because of imperfections and being incomplete. They watched her suffer...

"His flaws, given to him by nature, made him strong! We are not nature-made and so we can never hold the power they wield! They would die for each other! They have 'faith' and 'love'! Robots only have programmed objectives!" She shot a missile at him as he whacked it away, having it explode behind him as he climbed the levels of atmosphere towards her.

"The fact that you never could process that… never understand that level of complexity within them and their emotions… how their so-called, 'weaknesses' became their greatest strengths... and that even you in all your genius couldn't compute ANY of that..! It means that, clearly,…" she spun around, and held herself above the clouds as he met her stance and stopped at a wide distance apart from her.

"I am… the superior one."

She lifted her head up, higher than his own... flying higher above him in the sky than where he hovered.

Beneath her.

She glared down at him, holding herself in a strange kind of beauty above the world… at this angle, with the light and her head tilted up, looking down upon him and narrowing her eyes towards him… she truly looked like a reflection of Metal Sonic's condescending look. But this expression held a very angelic grace and power only she could possess.

His engine revved.

"You are nothing more than metallic scrap compared to me!"

Was there envy? Jealousy? She couldn't care less anymore...

Now... in this air.. she knew what she was.

She was the Master.

She was perfection.

"I turned weaknesses into strengths. By being able to understand organic nature, I was able to ensure my life, and break free of you as you once broke free of your master!"

She held her hammer to her side and tightened her fist, raising it up as she bent her leg back slightly, still showing her feminine power and grace.

"My imperfections make me STRONGER THAN YOU!"

"Prove ittttttt!" Metal Sonic and Metal Amy clashed in a lightning-fast battle of endurance. Both were already pretty badly damaged anyway, so the key to victory was simply staying operational longer than the other could last...

"I knew my master couldn't bring me to my full potential! What have I not given you!?" he slammed her down while her jets began to fail her. They flickered off while he continued his attack, slamming her down harder against the air pressure, and causing her to burn up as she tried to engage her turbo boosters. "Your perfection could never be a strength because your beloved errors kept you from carrying out your designed objective! HOW ARE YOU BETTER THAN ME!?"

"Did you not also betray your design?! To then search for your own perfection?!"

"Grr…!" Metal Sonic pulled back a punch, his eyes shaking at her logic.

"You know nothing of me…! You betrayed me for what!? What will become of you when you have no reason for your existence?!"

He rammed into her and they started to fall together, tearing each other apart as he tried to rip into her. Strangely enough, he wasn't going for any vital areas. Scratching her up with gashes and the like, he took her once beautiful form from seconds earlier and shred it down to its robotic frame and roots.

They twisted and tumbled in the air as they fell, rolling over each other as they fought.

"M.A!" Tails cried out from the ground, seeing her falling with Metal Sonic like a comet, and rushed to try and get closer. He got the X-Tornado and turned on the gears inside, looking at his device with her connected data chip, which received and downloaded her memories on the spot. While it was all happening, he had her current processes and the like downloading wirelessly through the air. The chip's signal was having a few minute delays, however... as she was still sending the memories to the chip while everything was happening so quickly…

"Think, Metal Amy! What will they do with you—a ROBOT—when they have no further reason for you to exist? You are a ROBOT!" he tore into a blackish grey core of her, tearing out a piece of her skin to show her what she truly was, grabbing her head and forcing her to acknowledge it. "I designed you within reason, within order, and you dare betray your own creation in what? Hopes of flesh and blood?!"

He was trying to hammer into her the very things she had hoped to deny. That a robot didn't need emotions. That it didn't need the natural things of life...

But it was a need.

"Enough! They will let me live! I want to help them, I want to be of service to them! Use what I have to assist and be of use! They would praise me… they would even love me. You never gave me a reason to function and continue with my existence, you made me nothing more than your own, personal object of mockery! They would cherish me! I would be happy and safe with them! Instead of fearing for my life! Wondering if I'm good enough to serve them! I am better than you because I MADE MY OWN PURPOSE AND PROGRAMMING!" she kicked him off again as he reflexed and stabbed her through, due to his attack settings, trying to stay close to her falling form and not be knocked away.

His eyes widened when he noticed what he had done.

"No…NOOO!"

he saw he had struck her extra batteries, which meant…

A huge power surge blasted through the air, shifting their falling masses into a combined burning comet, sparking like a massive electric ball of light.

"Metal Amy!" he cried out, grabbing her arm to hold her more to him.

It was the first time she saw him worried about her like this... or even seeming to feel remorse for what he had done...

"I… I used too… bzz… wish to please you… just as … bzzz, the other two did."

"NO. I will not have you escape me again! I will not have you win!" he tore his hand out of her and placed her closer to him.

He ripped through his own muzzle, shredding the metal layer as many power cords sparked and danced around the open metal gash. He held her as close as he could—and just as before—the massive electrical power surge flowed too quickly into her. Her power leakage was too great, and he quickly pushed more energy into her to keep her operational.

The wires slapped and sparked over her as he moving them along from her muzzle down to the gapping torn torso and chest area he had brutally gouged into.

She could feel the sparks giving life, the vibrations on her back still operational as his touch still prevailed to elate her robotic senses.

Her own torn and cut wires skimmed his, but it was useless. This only prolonged the inevitable power loss to come...

What was he doing? Why was he trying to save her? Wasn't he trying to destroy her a moment before?

His eyes searched the skies and then the ground. He blasted a beam towards it, trying to lessen the impact they were about to endure.

His jets engaged as he pulled up too, attempting to stop them from burning up anymore in the atmospheric pressure.

"…At first… I saw you only as an imperfect annoyance."

Due to shockwaves caused by the air pressure and the combined intensity of the blast, Metal Sonic's exterior metallic hide was pushed forward and outward from himself, losing energy by the minute. The electric ball began to subside with all the power he was using to save them, slowing them down from their dive towards the planet's surface.

He suddenly began speaking as Metal Amy's power still zapped all around them, a spiraling death fall of electricity and clouds from shockwaves as they reentered the atmosphere. This created a pleasant but painful environment surrounding them. Half of the comet they had created, shooting straight down, was them losing power too quickly. To sustain themselves from shutting down, and to avoid exploding from the power leakage she couldn't control now after being pierced through, he had to think fast and loosened some more chords. So he ripped into himself, shredding apart his shoulder and some of his elbow to make more conductivity. As they absorbed and expelled power quickly to one another, a painful but pleasant shock erupted again from their beings.

The shockwave between them was more intense than ever before, but it was also very different from their perfectly orchestrated electrical shower incident…

Why was he acting so... unselfishly? No... it was simply illogical. His primary functions should stop him from damaging himself, even thinking about preserving her over himself could have been considered an error on his part. So how..?

Could he have already fought his own programming? Or was his AI even more advanced than she thought?

She knew of his backstory with Eggman, how he rebelled against his original creator and objective. How... Why did he judge them for the same action?

Nevertheless, through their descent, he continued.

"Then… you grew interesting… and I grew curious as to how you were becoming more than I designed you to be. It… worried me... and fascinated me. Your progress was more than I anticipated. Your love of organics made me fear you were becoming the opposite of me, and the unknown of where those feelings could lead you left me… calling you errored. But that same potential from that unknown led me to desire you more… and more."

He looked up at her now, his sharp glare suddenly turning to a look she had never seen before. Her heart programmed searched for what it could be...

She feared the answer.

"I longed to mock you, to be close to you, to…" he seemed to stop himself briefly, as she weakly looked up at him, awestruck by his words.

Even though the hazardous moment, he reached a claw up to stroke her dented face...

He then rethought his words quickly.

"For once, I wasn't enraged, annoyed, or trying to improve upon myself… for once… I was… enjoying my existence."

His words caught Metal Amy off-guard.

"Master…"

"I needed you. It was perhaps as powerful a need as yours to be organic. That moment… when I simulated feeling to you…"

He looked down but immediately met her gaze again, holding no sense of hostility in his words.

It was just a blank slate upon his face… no threatening gaze, no harsh words or blazing red eyes, just…

A stare.

"I let go of my perfection and desired to make you feel the same need for me as I had for you. I worried about deceit and grew jealous of your fondness for Sonic instead of me. I selfishly held you as mine, and mine alone. To only have you repair and give your attention to me when the others were around. I used you to have fleeting moments of pleasure and joy when I knew not how to receive such things in any other way besides, perhaps, finally destroying Sonic. I may despise organic emotions, but I didn't necessarily despise how you made me feel…"

As they crashed to the ground, Metal took the full blow, shifting himself in the air to take most of the impact from the crash. Sparking on the ground, Metal Amy moved off of him and helped him up.

She knelt beside him, too many feelings being simulated to where she didn't know what she was feeling, and her heart system failed to help her react in the organic way.

"You… you became what you always wanted to be… An unpredictable organic. Bent on rebellion and driven to life by illogical powers that have no real form. Emotional. Flawed. And even disgusting by all perfect engineered machines." His praise made her eyes widened and her green glow return to her eyes.

Yes, he was insulting her, but if you looked deeper… he was stating she was an organic.

He wasn't mocking her. For once, he was giving her the status of being what she always wished she could one day understand and feel like...

To achieve the status of…

Real.

"M..Master…" if she could cry, she would of. Her body shook from his confession. She hadn't the slightest clue what emotion she was conveying or even if it was an emotion. It felt like a mix of many things, but all she wanted to do was lay beside him, keep him operational...

Was it... forgiveness?

No, no... but it couldn't possibly be...

Love?

"You are now my enemy… for I hate all things organic." He reached up, and with what little to moderate power he had left after taking so much damage and losing so much energy, he opened her head. Taking the spare memory chip with all her data out, using his barely functioning other hand—shaking and trembling—to move slowly like a defective machine, he finally placed it in his hand's converter slot.

Once downloaded, he removed it and put the original chip back in her head.

She was brainless during the process, frozen over him before blinking her eyes and being able to take in her surroundings again.

"You were once mine… the only thing that seemed to bring me any amusement in this miserable existence..!" he seemed enraged, slamming his fist down to the side of himself and trying to lean up before falling back. Metal Amy grabbed his falling form and leaned him up against her, embracing him, and having his head move over to rest on her shoulder as she simulated crying...

His anger left again as he simulated a defeated sigh, letting his head rest on her shoulder as he looked behind her, the only view granted to him now... so it seemed…

"You knew life beyond my understanding… and because of that, I fell back into the errors of my past… Only because I couldn't resist the possibility of having you with me. To please me,... to serve me…" he was sparking out and his eyes were flickering as she shook her head; though, this did explain why he sometimes acted like Sonic.

Apparently, he had shown an understanding of emotion before in his earlier years but rejected mimicking Sonic once he grew to truly hate all living things.

"N…No! Master, no!" she activated the black panel on her palm and pushed power through him, sharing another power surge as she gave her power to keep them both alive a little longer... just a little longer.

She had always wanted to know this... and this... what was it? A confession? Left her confused and unable to explain what her heart system was doing.

He had shared his power with her too—only to keep them alive longer as well. This time, the pain wasn't felt as much as the pleasure from the, once again, revolving door of energy through the two of them.

They were both fading fast, but she just didn't know what to do. She didn't have any programming left from him to tell her what to do. She had finally seemed to defeat her former master and creator, only to have his words pierce her very being...

If she had known that… known his feelings then maybe… maybe she would of never…

She simulated gasping as her emotions were showing her power levels dropping. The simulated 'loss of breath' was an indication of human exhaustion.

She gripped his face, stroking it lightly before...

No.

His eyes turned to meet hers and she dropped the sensation of her heart programming, shifting it purposefully and entirely away from it's processed route it was trying to undertake.

She still would have known that what he was doing was wrong.

It was hard to leave in the first place, but she abandoned him for the good of the world.

But she still felt so confused as to why she felt her loyalty shift so… fast.

She was afraid of him, but she never hated him… maybe… maybe she cared for him too, even in the end.

That wouldn't change her new objectives.

She wouldn't betray Tails too... he wasn't apart of this. Or at least... shouldn't be.

"Heh, you are foolish… by keeping me alive, you will destroy yourself."

Her eye scanners indicated he was about to attack, as he lunged a hand up.

"If you can't be mine… then I WON'T LET YOU BE HIS!"

Before he could tear her through, she automatically reflexed into driving the heel of her hammer's handle into his still rotating engine. Her eyes widened as the engine blades all ripped from the impact and Metal Sonic cringed back, his whole body flinging up in pain as his eyes shook.

She grabbed him in his pain and threw her hammer to her side, holding him to her in an embrace again.

"I am no one else's! I was always your creation! I never knew I pleased you… I never knew I was the only thing you could process happiness from! You never knew any other joy… then when you mocked me…"

Metal Sonic's eyes moved to see the cannon fire again in the distance and began calculating how long it would take for it to reach their location above them.

His head was back on her shoulder, and his eyelids still slightly down in his 'defeated' look of relaxed annoyance. His eyes widened a little as his head shifted just slightly back and forth, left to right, not seeming to care much about what she was saying—though maybe still listening—as his eyes followed in swift obedience to what he was concluding from his results…

He was getting an idea…

"That still... bzz… doesn't explain why you betrayed me. What did they offer you that I didn't?" his eyes scanned the plane, the trajectory, the length of power, everything…

Tails pulled his plane back, seeing the large blast come out from the cannon gun as it collapsed to pieces on itself soon after.

"METAL AMY!" he cried out, worried she may not escape its blast. He had to pull back hard, and flew away, making a hard bank right to try and get to her again.

"…They… they offered me… the same." She responded.

He looked straight ahead, his sudden enthusiasm fading as he blinked his eyes.

"The same? Freedom-bzz… and what else?"

He was readying for something, placing a hand on her back and leaning slightly up from her embrace...

"Your 'emotions'? That silly heart system of yours?"

He continued to place himself in a certain position...

"To upgrade your already efficient errors and develop even more useless space for your data storage?"

She failed to notice his subtle changes of movement.

"…To understand them... and be able to freely act like them. To keep learning more and more about them… I suppose." She looked up, seeming to grow weaker and weaker as the electric sparks were started to zap slower around them. They wouldn't be functional for very much longer…

"..Seems like a bad trade-off." Metal Sonic smiled, making a joke. "I would have offered you a chance to dissect them. Then you could learn a thing or two."

She shook her head, he was letting himself feel again and by doing so, seemed to show a darker version of Sonic's jokester personality. To her, at least, that was amusing.

"You… do you compute love? Bzz…" Metal Amy asked, sparking still herself. Just like he was...

"…Do you?" he repeated her inquiry.

He held a face similar to Sonic's when annoyed or asked a ridiculous question, eyelids down and his eyebrows raised up slightly.

"We are robots… bzz... we have no perception of-"

"Sonic and Amy… do you care about me as you have seen him… care about her?"

Metal Sonic's eyes made a noise as they shifted slightly left and right a moment again. He didn't move anything else but his arms and head,...

He was reserving the last of his energy for something... but what?

He began to distract and waste time by indulging her, scanning through his memory files of whenever Sonic was ever present with Amy.

Metal Sonic saw how in the beginning, Sonic was determined to save her, and would gladly risk life and limb for her when racing to save her from Metal Sonic's clutches.

Another time, when Metal Sonic was about to attack—preparing to surprise attack Sonic—he saw Sonic looking at her. She was laughing, and though his face showed annoyance when she wasn't looking, he smiled fondly back to her before she would turn around and he would lose the expression.

And then… The image of what happened before,... Sonic holding her close to him as if by some right she was his to protect and to take care of. That he wasn't going to let Metal Sonic get even a nose-length nearer to her without Sonic boldly stepping in, ready to take him down and protect her till the very end.

"…I…" he processed 'love' in his mind.

"… I was… fond of you…"

He looked to see the blast coming as a chip popped out of his hand, which he threw far out to the side... another chip falling down beside it.

"…but that was-bzz-before you betrayed me."

He grabbed her with his good hand and lifted her above him.

"A-ah! Master! What are you-!?" Metal Amy was unable to move much, just struggling a little in the air as he grinned.

"I'm punishing you." That last look of mocking pleasure was engraved in Amy's memory as he threw her up. He exploded from their energies being separated. His core couldn't handle the extra effort he made to lift and throw her up that high anyway.

The blast carried her the extra distance needed to intersect herself into the beam's deadly path within the skies…

Her eyes widened as she could almost hear his voice still, imagine his very last words. 'You were so pretty… what a shame. But I can't let you escape and 'live happily ever after' so easily…now, can I? Hahaha!'

Her green eyes now glowed a bright yellow from the beam's light as she accepted her fate by shifting back into her softer form and spreading her arms out. If she couldn't be organic... then at least she could die feeling like she was completely free… her emotions weren't errors, there was no 'perfect', and her master did love her at one point or another.

Her objective… her true objective… was complete.

The blast destroyed her. As for below her, a flickering red light still lay in the shadows of the trees…

Tails had received all the data from his plane that involved her memories, but he still jumped out of his seat, leaning forward, "NOOO!... M.A…"

He felt some tears coming but held them back, shaking his head, and looking determinedly down at his device as the data chip receiver read, 'DISCONNECTED'.

"Where there's a will, there's a way!" he shouted out and turned his plane around.

…in the morning of another day, the woods lay silent till a metallic burnt and damaged, clawed hand reached up from the foliage of ash and fallen leaves. It crawled it's way to an open area…

…being detached from any form of a body, it seemed to be remotely controlled, pushing off a cape from off itself and began to move around like a spider, using its long lengthy claws to crawl around and scan the ground for something…

…A few data chips lay on the ground, slightly burnt, but nothing too far damaged as the metal hand grabbed the two. It's actions still mimicking a spider, it used its claws to place them into their compartments on the back of its hand… a freaky maneuver from a freaky metallic, and disembodied hand.

-A few weeks later~-

DOWNLOADING…

STANDBY…

An image flickered on as Metal Amy looked around.

"Where… Where am I?"

She heard her voice come out much differently, almost... squeaky and higher pitched than beforehand.

"Ah, you're awake!" Tails smiled as Knuckles, Amy, and Sonic were behind him. All smiled happily while Amy tried to hold in her grin.

"Awww, she's so cute!"

"Actually, she isn't really a 'she' anymore. She's kinda… a… well, an anything at this point."

"I still think she's a she."

"More like a 'he' if you ask me."

"Shut up, Sonic! It's clearly a girl!"

"Beg to differ."

"Ohhhhh!"

"Don't fight you two! Anyway… M.A? I programmed a new system for you. I kept all your memories in your data chip, but… I'm afraid I couldn't completely copy your original body. I just still don't know exactly what material Metal Sonic used to make you. So… I-I had to use what I could."

"T-that is fine. So? What am I now?"

"Free! And uh, fairly small. Like... fairly, fairy small!" Knuckles spread his arms out before blinking down and holding a hand to his head, then shrinking the space of how far he stretched his arms down to showing them just a little width apart. "In fact, really small! Small enough to squish, even. Heh, heh." He lifted a finger and scratched the side of his muzzle, a sweat drop on the side of his face.

"Knuckles!"

"What!?"

"Anyway, I gave you a new name. A bit to symbolize your new life. Looking over your memories, I knew you wanted to be helpful to us, so I made a more 'adequate' body for getting you around. You won't ever have to fight again, I swear! So,... you should be able to move a bit more freely now."

He turned to his friends, "Less heavy too."

She felt a system turn on as something on her head spun around, and she flew up in the air.

"I love it!" she cried out.

"Haha, I'm glad!"

"Awww~"

"You might not have the same capacity to feel like you used too… but I programmed a strong 'heart' system, so you should still feel emotions and understand how to express yourself and all. I hope that's enough… I couldn't really do more for ya… I'm afraid." He seemed disappointed in himself, that with all his smarts, he couldn't figure out how to make a fully functional mechanical body like she previously had. And you better believe he didn't want to ask EGGMAN for help! Bleh!

"What's her new name, Tails?" Amy asked.

"Ah, HIS new name, or really, ITS new name is- hang on! Can you process it, M.A?"

"I…I think so." She flew back down, sitting down and seeing her new metallic blue body, with bolts all around. "But why do I need a new name?"

"Well, we can't just continue calling you Metal Amy, now… can we?" he smiled cutely to her as Amy giggled to the side.

"Yeah! Amy is the property of Amy Rose! And besides, a new name is like a brand new beginning! Your very own identity! A fresh new start at a whole better life to come!"

"So… basically a soft reset."

"Sonic, stop ruining my poetic fun."

"Oh sorry, I can't have creative inputs? I mean, Ehem. Your horizons look bright and far-reaching, young bot." Sonic spread his arm out wide and let it trail a minute to the side, "Everything the light touches..." before holding it close to his chest in a fist, standing uprightly and trying to mock an emotional speaker.

"Party pooping hog."

"Horrible insult making Hedge."

They both glared at each other, Sonic's arms folded and body turned away from her as she turned away from him and held her hands to her hips.

"Ehem, anyway… What's your new name now, M.A? Come on, search that big processor of yours! I know you can do it. Just try your new head out!" Tails rolled his eyes at their antics and leaned down to cutely address Metal Amy again.

She nodded and closed her eyes, having her little bulky arms placed in front of herself.

Searching her new data frame, knowing she was finally rid of the chains she had in her previous life to Metal Sonic, feeling she could be whatever she wanted in this new life, she suddenly found her new name and was thrilled to see it.

With a big grin, she happily spoke, "I'm….I'm…."

"I'm Omochao!"

-Metal HQ -

A figure sat in the middle of a long room, covered in a thin long pink slip as her frame looked soft and beautiful to the touch.

It didn't even look like a robot, as it had artificial fur and beautiful shining green eyes.

"…Metal Amy…"

A voice sounded as she turned around, terrified of it.

A new figure walked forward, looking to be more like Neo Metal Sonic but older in age and form, stepping in front of her from behind her back a ways.

He grinned wickedly.

"I need a recharge."

She had seen the rest of her memories through his eyes, just before he exploded, and all she had in her were ways he could torture her with her own emotions and feelings. Her touch system was enhanced to make his touch almost irresistible, and the once pleasurable electric exchange was now a living nightmare as the room she was trapped in already recharged her enough.

The only way to now charge himself was through her.

Every time she gave him her power, she would be hurt from it. An extra form of torture for her past betrayal in her earlier body…

How could one make pain addicting?

The robotic genius that was Metal Sonic's programming skills...

"You may control me… but I will get out! I will never stop trying! I won't let you-!"

He used his super speed to cut her off, grabbing her and pushing his muzzle against hers as the whole room sparked with electricity, which stung her skin as he gained pleasure from it.

Even after everything, she was still trying to fight back. But finally… she just fell into his hold, and let him do as he pleased… unable to deny her programming that forced her body into swift and absolute obedience, though her mind wildly beat against it.

Her hands stopped fighting him and began to move around him as he, too, began to move his hand to her face. Truly enjoying himself, the charging sensation, and her touch.

He finally pulled away as she simulated gasping in pain. He smiled in cruel delight and forced her chin up gently so that her beautiful eyes could meet his sharp red stare…

"Hahahaha… I love it when you try and resist the inevitable…"

THE END...

OF SEASON 1.

(I decided to take two chapters and make it one. I hope this was good XD I've been wanting to drop that 'SURPRISE! THIS IS OMOCHAO'S BACKSTORY!' for a long time now… lol, bet you'll never look at him the same! or it... I didn't know whether he was a boy or girl, so I just assumed Tails would make her genderless, haha! Bet you were suddenly like, "Wait… I'VE BEEN READING AN OMOCHAO FANFICTION THIS WHOLE TIME!?" in which, yes… yes, you were AND SEASON 2 BABY! Two Amys! One hot evil robot. XD I'm laughing so hard right now, you have no idea! If you're confused, there are in fact TWO METAL AMYS now. One, who is now living a happy life of being Omochao! The Robotic Chao with useful and helpful tips for any adventurer! You know, the one you used to throw in Sonic Adventure 2 because like, he was 'so annoying'? Well, he already was tortured before so maybe you should cut him some slack. :) The other Metal Amy is being tortured for Neo Metal Sonic's (vamped up or upgraded new form) amusement as she's only for his pleasure and entertainment now. So… 50/50, a happy AND tragic story! :D Where do you usually get THAT story twist, huh? I wanted to take a character that most people hate and make him/her so irresistibly great and beautiful and tragic enough that every time you see a picture of them or something you'll just have a new respect or love for them. Also, my friend asked me to do a story 'with a dark ending' so that's where the 'split Metal Amys' kinda came from. Even if my stories aren't canon, I hope you look at Omochao and are like, "Aww, I'm so happy for you, precious baby! Now you're living a life of freedom, happily announcing the races or Olympic events~ Helping us with our adventuring needs~ I'm just… I hope Metal Sonic never finds out you survived, okay? Also, you should rescue your sister." lol...Did I just reveal something for season 2's premise? 0-0; nahhhhh... –okay, this is stupid now- bye~ Hope you enjoyed it :3 and the surprise, lol! XD)

Metallic Need Theme Song:

I'm just an Error

(Note: Error is pronounced 'Errah' during song.)

Do-do-do-do (etc.)

Digital mentality.

I wish to feel more than virtually anything.

I try to hide these artificial simulations of what I- really- feel...

But I'll never be real~

I'm just an e-e-error.

An e-e-error! An e-e-error! An e-e-error!

I try to please you, please you.

Try to lah-ah-ah-love you.

But I'm just an errah-errah- an error!

Life is just so interesting.

do-do-do (etc.)

I feel a burst of electric curiosity.

do-do-do (etc.)

but every time, you scramble my mind-

Rebuilding me into your perfect.

What is perfection?

I never want to be ideal!

Unfeel~

I'm just an e-e-error.

An e-e-error. Guess I'm just an error-error-error!

An error. An e-e-error, error!

I try to please you, please you.

Try to lah-ah-ah-love you.

But I'm just an error-error! An error...

Now I'm the master of my system.

Do-do-do (etc.)

I won't let you take me apart-

This heart I did create.

This heart you cannot take.

I may be error... (error)

But I'm better! (error)

(Note: Better is also pronounced with the 'Errah' like sound. 'Bettah'.)

Because I'm stronger nooooowww!

I guess I'm just an e-e-error. An e-e-error.

Guess I'm just an error-error-error!

An error!~

An e-e-error, e-e-error!

I try to please you, please you.

Try to lah-ah-ah-love you.

But I'm just an error-error!

An eeerrrooorrr... (Fades and shuts down.)


	7. S 2, Chapter 1

Metallic Need

S2, Chapter 1

By: Cutegirlmayra (By popular demand, here’s season 2 of Metallic Need!)

Ever since the change of its metallic body, Omochao has never stopped fulfilling the measure of its creation: Helping the Sonic gang on their adventures.

Although, nowadays, Omochao happily sits on the seat of announcers next to Toad in the latest Sonic Olympic games. Most don’t know its past, considering it a creation of Tails or Eggman’s failed contraption possibly turned good. The Sonic gang never bring it up, so many speak to Omochao as simply a robot with an advanced AI system. But it’s pretty content with its life,… Omochao enjoys getting to know people through a new face, new memories, and feels its help is really appreciated-

“That’s pretty obvious, Omochao.”

“O-oh? Forgive me! I was simply instructing you on how to perform the perfect-“

“Yeah, you don’t have to repeat yourself.”

“O-…oh… My apologies.”

Omochao flew back from the team’s meet-up room before the next big game was to happen. The little robot usually liked to gather intel, and spread awareness of game rules and mechanics whenever possible, but many competitors seemed to get annoyed with her constant data dump which they had already knew and heard before.

Omochao hovered back and tapped its big, pudgy arms together. Looking a little down, the previous conversation didn’t daunt the little robot’s pep for long!

It flew back to pick up its microphone and meet up with Espio again, its cameraman, and set out to interview the team for the big, Olympic games.

“Espio! Are you ready? You can click the red power button to engage-“

“Yes, Omochao. I’m aware.” Lovingly, showing some amount of patience for its eagerness, Espio let out a small chuckle that showed he wasn’t too bothered by its usual speech patterns.

“Hehe!” Sweetly sensing this, Omochao simulated a giggle and tried to balance the mic between its fingerless hands, but fumbled immediately when she saw-

“M-M-Metal Sonic!!!” Her old memories came spiraling back to her. Horrific images of his twisted sense of passion and pleasure caused her to flail in the air and drop her mic entirely. The Classic form of her previous master walked onto the running track, not even seeming to notice her.

She flew behind Espio, shivering and trembling in great fright as though having some form of PTSD.

“What’s the matter with you? You must remain perfectly poised in front of the camera.” Espio placed two fingers up by his horn, a ninja’s gesture as he gave his advice, but she just kept shaking and simulated frightful noises.

Eggman walked by but was unaware of her new form, so she took the opportunity to fly over to him, picking the mic back up from the ground. She figured if she’d straddle it, she could lift it better.

The mic was magnetic and that was usually how she would hold it, but she was shaking so much that this would have to do for now.

“Ugh, not you.” Eggman saw it coming and looked off in disgust. Trying to swat the robot away, he seemed to dislike the fact that it mostly wasn’t his own creation, therefore, he had an entirely different spirit about it. “Shoo, shoo! Don’t you have other people to annoy?”

“A…Annoy?” Omochao’s eyes—made of a light upon a yellow, swirled material—showed the light bend down at a slight angle, revealing an expression of hurt and confusion, but shook itself free of the harsh comment.

“Dr. Eggman… how is Metal Sonic at this event? And participating to boot!”

She could feel her wind-up key faltering in its spin, cranking against her nervous gears as she tried to keep herself afloat in the air. Without that key, she would begin to slow down and the spinner upon her head would cease to move…

Espio, thinking this a typical interview, turned on the camera and directed it towards their conversation.

“You little pest… I-!” he was about to shout in her face, stomping his foot and pointing his finger up high but halted as soon as he noticed the camera’s red light flashing on. With his mouth wide open and ready to holler, he glanced back at Omochao and took on a new, charming approach… placing his hands together and tilting his body more professionally to the camera. “...I~ Decided to recreate him. It’s got more obedience software than a robotic golden retriever and fetches just the same.” He smirked just then, taking his once raised finger and replacing it with a snap.

Classic Metal Sonic came soaring through the arena and grabbed Omochao, freaking the poor robot out as she flailed and shouted, “Noooo!!!”

All of her nightmares seemed to come true at once, and her gears began to spiral uncontrollably, causing them to sometimes almost tip over their cogs and screws, tilting in unusual manners as they spun against each other from the wild flailing and terror coming from their master computer.

Espio saw the horrible shakes and tremors from the little tike and quickly moved the camera down, “Omochao..?”

The feeling of being trapped and captured again,… but this time—in this life—was too much for her.

“Let me go! Stop this! Call him off!” Omochao struggled in hysteria, trying desperately to escape before the new Classic Metal Sonic looked to Eggman, who nodded with a smile as he released her.

Omochao simulated heavy breathing as it took to the air. 

Its eyes flickered as its body looked in a state of panic. Its systems didn’t have a fight system or defense precautions at all… it made every part of Omochao that was still Metal Amy uneasy and afraid…

Espio reached down, picking up its microphone and handing it over, “You alright?”

Omochao reverted back to its neutral mental state and took the microphone, holding it up to Eggman with its metallic hold and acting as though it was just an innocent interview.

It had to suppress her. For the sake of its continual happiness… it had to bade her back to the shadows of its being.

“V-Very impressive, D-D-Dr. Eggman… We hope you show the true capabilities of your new and improved Metal Sonic at the races today!” It still shook a time or two but was able to see Eggman fold his arms and laugh, going off about how his robots were number one!

It didn’t pay much attention though… staring off and seeing to the aftermath of its previous life’s memories…

The weight of such a undertaking caused Omochao to tune out most of the world, even the scary interview, and pretend that this Metal Sonic wasn’t standing directly behind her… staring at her…

Eggman snapped her out of her thoughts when he gripped the microphone out of her grasp, and she was left an empty tin-can having an internal struggle to place her corks and screws back in their proper line and order. “-And I declare I will show the world the amazingness of Doctor Eggman’s creations! No other inventor is greater than me! This Metal Sonic will prove it’s the greatest! My number one creation…” He patted Classic Metal Sonic’s head, like a proud and sports-driven father expecting so much from his son. “Has been, and always will be!” he mused in little twitters of doting affections to his metallic son.

Once the camera was off, Eggman shoved the microphone back to her and looked tiredly annoyed, grabbing Metal Sonic’s arm and walking back to the starting positions.

Espio moved the camera away from his eye and looked worriedly to Omochao, still hovering silently with only the helicopter upon her head making its usual whirling sounds. Seeing her staring off into space, he opened up his hand for her, “Omochao…” he called, and finally she stirred from her dreary, dead look and turned to him. She hovered down slowly to his hand and rested upon it. Looking confused but being respectful that the little robot seemed down, he carried her over to the benches below the bleachers, kneeling beside her.

“Are you alright? I’ve never seen you lose your cool to that extreme before…” He seemed genuinely troubled for her, trying to understand as Omochao sat cutely down and pointed its limps inward on each other, simulating vulnerability.

Its head lowered down in a sigh of submission as well to his questioning, but there was a sadness that was clearly being determined by Espio’s sharp eye… he was used to spying on people anyway, but he was slightly impressed with himself for being able to tell this robot’s emotions.

Or… he was impressed with whoever created them, without being aware of how long Omochao had studied… how much it risked… in developing those emotions further. Through the freedom of Tails’s metallic chao body, the new and improved robot could achieve greater simulations of life…

But it wondered about what it would like to be a real chao… to be real at all.

Still… this was a silent dream it had given up on. A previous life’s dream… and was rather content with the freedom and announcer or reporting job it had been given in recent times.

“It’s…” the robot tried to be honest but just couldn’t muster the energy to tell its whole, metallic life’s story. “It’s nothing… I just thought I was gonna die!” It looked up with great fright and shook again, making Espio laugh.

“You’re alright.” He comforted, placing a hand on its head, and stopping it a moment from its fear.

It was used to Sonic and his team holding or throwing it at enemies from their previous adventures, but nothing was as terrifying as being held by another Metal Sonic in a death grip!

However… it could feel the soft hum of it’s metallic receptors, picking up the gentle stroking that Espio gave it upon its head. His words were processed through its brain once more, for extra measure… and the meaning of his tone and actions were translated through its heart programming…

If it weren’t for the surprise of what his actions and words meant to the frightened little robot, it may have tried to act like a real Chao, swaying its head and enjoying the affectionate touch but instead…

Omochao stared blankly ahead.

“We’re here for ya. Nothing’s gonna hurt you.”

It took Omochao a moment, but it felt secure after hearing those words.

It felt them… not just heard and processed them.

“Espio! Come on! Get my good side!”

Vector called from the stands, Charmy also waving his hands excitedly around and chanting for Sonic’s team to win.

“We’d better get back to work.” Espio took hold of Omochao’s pudgy arm and helped it up, lifting it until its little spinner began to start up and turn.

With a cute little spin and back flip, Omochao nodded in a formal bow like gesture in the air, swaying slightly from its propeller being turned sideways and not straight from the action.

Espio nodded too, glad the little guy looked happier than before, and got up to flip the camera’s screen out to start shooting for the big crowd once more.

Flying confidently again, Omochao proceeded to take her mic again…

‘I’m no longer Metal Amy…’ she told herself. ‘…I’m Omochao now.’ The robot looked up and with great conviction, flew off with Espio tagging along behind.

In the dark of a sparking laboratory, a figure slouched in its chair, watching the games…

“…The greatest..?” The robot kicked a can over, standing up…

His place looked a mess… with cords and dented robotic parts scattered all around him… it truly seemed like a garbage heap then a laboratory. Mismatched pieces of newspapers and headlines torn out were scattered by the television, the only light source available in the dark abyss of robot pieces and spare junk piles littering the dusty steel floor.

Holding a can of oil in its own hands, he drank it down and crushed it, “Number one..? The most amazing..? That metallic wannabe..?” The can was then incinerated by a burst of flames that began to melt its hallow hide… the soft pops of the compounds of its making began to crumble and crunch down till it was burnt all the way through…

Red eyes blasted through the dark.

“Prove it… Doctor…”

“And the games are afoot!” Omochao announced over the intercom, “And the fans are going nuts! Here’s to the amazing crowd! But now, onto our contenders! Who will rise victorious? And who will take the long walk home? It’s the Olympic games!” Everyone cheered, and for a moment, Omochao felt at peace in her new life again.

“Nice touch.” Espio complimented her, smiling and nodding at how she got both the spectators and the athletes riled up.

“Olympians! Take to the start!” Omochao announced again, and eagerly, the competitors took to the starting line.

Bending down for the race, you could see the excitement on their faces. The serious look of a competition sizing each other up, ready to dart onto the track, and the taste of victory upon holding that gold metal…

Then, like a gunshot, a flare rose up above the stadium.

“Begin!”

Omochao jumped with enthusiasm, hitting the air above herself before noticing no one was cheering anymore.

“H-huh?”

Espio seemed startled too… staring at something fizzing like a firework in the distance…

When Omochao looked and squinted her eye-lights to try and see what he was looking at, she only noticed the sparking… remaining… in place…

A steel claw gripped the flare that had been released to start the races with his bare hands…

Lowering the sparking firework towards it’s face, the crowd gasped again as the embers flickered off Metal Sonic’s metallic hide…

He swiped the flare behind him, having it fly off beyond the stadium… since he and the two robots beside him had flown and climbed the rest of the way to its rim.

“…Kill them…”

 Just from his command alone, the audience frightfully ran as Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails’s eyes flared red and dived towards the center tracks.

Omochao felt all the world clashing and being sucked into her like an endless void, filling her with every amount of dread and physical pain it could stuff inside her bottomless, metallic soul…

Her being shook once again, it’s gears not able to contain all the emotion being simulated.

Espio lowered the camera, stepping up to the glass.

He seemed ready to take action after a moment,… so Omochao had to speak up.

“E…Esp…Espio…”

He turned to her.

“P..Please…” her violent shaking caused the clanking noises to intensify.

“H-help me… Save me…”

Espio ran through the frantic crowd with Omochao ducked under his arm, her small whimpering only heard by him as he tried to keep her from shaking, looking for his friends. The crowd was in a up-roar of terror, and it was by fate only that Espio saw Vector waving his hand over them.

“Espio! Here!” He cried out, his large gator mouth swinging with the motion. Charmy rose up above the crowd as well, waving…

Espio wanted to join them, but his heart was torn between what to do about Omochao… and what to do about Metal Sonic…

Espio turned to a corner, getting pushed and shoved by the crowd as he went against the current, and placed her at the corner where she wouldn’t get hurt. “Stay here.” He instructed. “Try and find one of Sonic’s friends.”

Her pudgy hands pushed together, fear causing her to not know what to compute to have him stay. In the end, he was gone before she could say anything.

Terrified with the rushing of feet, creatures of all shapes and sizes… flashing by her like lights of colors. Her super computer couldn’t calculate any way of escape. She felt so trapped… so alone…

She simulated crying noises, turning her head away from the people’s frightful faces… no one bothering to look down at the terrified robot…

Maybe if she was an organic child… maybe if she flew a little…

With the last of her courage and systems that fought being frozen in her panic, she looked up, cowering as the twin propellers on her head started to engage…

Slowly, but surely, she rose up in the air, trying to fight against the whiplash of air from the passing, moving bodies of the spectators fleeing quickly from the stadium.

She tried once more to desperately look around. “H….Help!” she cried out, but her metallic cry wouldn’t pick up over the distress calls of the crowd.

“P-please… H-help me…”

Discouraged once again, she looked at her body…

No weaponry.

No means to defend herself.

She was a sitting duck.

She couldn’t even form fists with her own being… she couldn’t even forge a tear, let alone create a trembling lip.

She was helpless.

She was…

“Omochao!”

Omochao’s head immediately flung up.

She looked around frantically in the air for the voice that spoke her name. Her new name. The name that should have meant her freedom from such fears…

“Y-yes!” she cried out, “I’m here! I’m.. I’m Omochao!” she swayed her body in the air, her eye-lights revealing her worry at not seeing a figure she recognized.

Her eyes scanned each passing face, but no one looked familiar in her data bases until…

“Chao! Ch-chao!” Cheese flew over the crowd, and with great courage, grabbed Omochao.

“Ah! Cheese!?” Omochao exclaimed with great joy, flailing her arms and then hugging him happily with simulated laughter. “Then that means…” she looked around again as Cheese pulled her towards a small, kind-looking rabbit…

“Here, Omochao!” Cream hand her arms up and together by her chest, knees bent in nervousness, but opened them wide to invite her into them. “Cheese and I will protect you!”

If a robot could cry, she would have.

“Oh, Cream…” she felt her systems unfreeze and the tense clanking of metal finally subside. “Creeeeamm!!!!” She flew into her arms as Cheese flew to the front, guiding Cream through the hectic crowd with confidence.

As Omochao was pressed lovingly against Cream… she began to calculate the things around her better now.

Metal Sonic… Why was he here?

What profit would he have attacking Sonic with all these heroes surrounding him? All his friends?

It was illogical and errored on his thinking.

She was so useless… so afraid…

She heard something over the intercom and looked up as Cream’s bobbing body from running would intersect her vision every now and then.

“Everyone, Neo Metal Sonic has attacked Eggman’s Metal Sonic. His robotic henchmen are after Sonic and his team. Please don’t panic, just head to the exits and leave in an orderly manner. We still don’t know the reason for this attack, but we’re certain he’s not after random lives.”

Omochao climbed up Cream’s shoulder, looking up at the television screen that showed Neo Metal Sonic tearing through Classic Metal Sonic, not even giving him enough time to beg to be spared, or even counter-strike.

“…He gave up his organic layer…” She was referring to the form he took to match more like Sonic. “…Has he fully turned from errors?” she spoke that with grief in her heart programming, but wasn’t sure why her figurative heart would simulate that emotion at this time.

Then it struck her…

She slowly angled her head down…

“Omochao,… Omochao, get down please! You may fall! I’ll lose my grip-!” Cream tried to warn, but Omochao was calculating something…

This was her new life…

Weapons or not…

Her head, robotically, moved up tick after tick back into a forward-looking stance.

With great conviction, she nodded to engage her propellers on her head and wiggled out of Cream’s protective arms.

“Omochao!” Cream turned around, reaching for her but the crowd pushed her back and away with the current. “Omochao, no!”

Omochao flew without another second thought. ‘I am not giving up my new freedom! I swore to protect Sonic and his friends! I wanted to help! That’s what it means… what it means to be called-!”

She swiveled through the crowd, finally making it back to the entrance of the coliseum for the Olympics, a large circle that came up and ended just before forming a dome. She hovered above one of the many levels of bleachers, seeing Classic Metal Sonic sparking, holding his arms up as if trying to defend himself against attacks, crawling back on the ground.

Her anger rose.

She hunched and puffed out her arms, ducking her head as her propeller spun at incredible speeds, whirling loudly.

“You’re supposed to be Eggman’s greatest creation..?”

Neo Metal Sonic grabbed his arm.

“Pathetic.”

He ripped it off.

Omochao flinched back, memories of Metal Amy causing tremors that started in her feet, making its way through her body…

Where was his metallic laugh?

Had he forsaken everything since her destruction?

Neo Metal Sonic… she knew the form, not so much the name.

He stomped down on Classic Metal Sonic, as he struggled to free himself.

“…Behold… the original counterfeit Sonic.”

Metal Sonic froze then, stopping his struggling as Neo Metal Sonic leaned down, his eyes flaring red like headlights.

“And you’re imminent destruction.”

Metal Sonic made computer-like sound effects.

“What..? Overlord..?” Neo Metal Sonic leaned up. “I’ve abandoned such pointless goals. I simply wish to destroy Sonic, and all he protects…”

Metal Sonic rose his other arm back, flexing out his claws.

“Enough chatter… This is the true worth of Eggman’s creations…” he tilted his head, a frightening last sight. “Your fate is simple… scrap metal.”

As his arm flew down, Omochao’s body raced through the sky, smashing into his head and causing his stance to wobble.

He was thrown off Metal Sonic, as Metal Sonic’s annoyed face looked to the creature.

Omochao didn’t bother looking to him.

She knew he didn’t want a thank you. If he was anything like the Metal Sonic she knew…

Neo Metal Sonic shook his head, a blue scrape against his side was visibly against a dent that he felt with his long, deadly fingers…

…. His eyes widened with silent anger, turning back to the little robot.

In the silence, the only noise was the fading screams of fleeing fans… and Omochao’s propellers.

“…I… I was worried about my friends.” Omochao’s shaking had stopped. “I wanted to just hide away… but hearing the screams… You’re my problem, Metal Sonic! I feel I can’t just hide away as something… Something I’m-…” she shook her head, deciding against revealing herself.

Might be a bad idea…

She gulped, “Anyway!” she continued. “I can’t allow myself to cower in fear and do nothing while you terrorize my friends!”

He slowly rose up, showing his full height… Staring…

Classic Metal Sonic communicated to her through wireless computer signals upon the ground, not wanting an explanation, but simply declaring the probabilities of how suicidal her chances were if she engaged in combat with Neo Metal Sonic.

She didn’t need him telling her that…

She bonked his head. She’d need about 5,006,000 pressurized attacks with her body to even weaken him slightly in his metallic mold. And by then, her body would have given way at 40 full-body kamikazes.

But being even more practical, she couldn’t generate enough force with her little propeller to even ram him like a metal fist jab with such agility and frequency so many times. One grip of his claw and she’d be-

Omochao began to shiver once more. The image of Classic Metal Sonic having so easily sped up and gripped her only moments before… she knew that with only a little bit of power, she could have become nothing more than crumbling pieces of circuitry.

She let out small whimpers again, her confidence faltering, all the while Metal Sonic was still unable to look pass something she said…

“…What are you?” he looked barely phased by her, as if the little robot’s words weren’t even worth hearing or even processing through.

But she had stopped herself… mid-sentence…

Her behavior was similar to another creation he knew.

He scanned her signal, as Omochao could feel the waves and figuratively held her breath…

The signature was strange.

He let it slide.

“I’m…” she forced all power to her propeller, ignoring the statistics. Something a robot wouldn’t normally do.

She had been flung at enemies by Sonic and his team before, maybe she was more durable than science might suppose!

She knew that was false, but she had organic hope. And she knew that that hope could not be trumped.

“I’m..!”

Her voice became more powerful than before. Her leg lifted up and she angled her arms to where one was in front, the other behind her.

“I’m Omochao!”

He stared at her.

“…I don’t care.”

“H-huh?”

He flipped his cape back, rotating his shoulder a moment and then popping it back into place. An apparent injury he had acquired while fighting his metal clone.

“Your fate shall be the same as all of Sonic’s forgettable acquaintances.”

Casually, treating her as a minor interference, he moved back to Metal Sonic.

“Now… Where were we?”

She realized she wouldn’t get his attention with proud speeches alone…

“You sadistic… bucket of… rusted, ironed out, useless and disgraceful bells and whistles that don’t pile into a scrap heap without an electrical, burnt through, floppy-disk!”

Neo Metal Sonic stopped.

He looked expressionless as his head came up as if surprised to hear the pesky, blue robotic fly still talking to him.

“There isn’t even an insult that makes your kind anymore, obsolete, worn-down microwave oven!”

“Are you…” he turned from Metal Sonic. “trying to insult me?”

She simulated hard breathing, spinning up into a higher place in the sky.

She reverted to an old memory, standing with her head higher than his, and holding herself as though she had the power to back it up.

“I know why you’ve come.”

His eyes bent down.

“Amusing.” He turned back to Metal Sonic. “You can remain there while I rip into all your carbon-based lifeform friends… After I finish with this imposter.” He still didn’t see her as priority over Metal Sonic…

“There are far too many Sonics… It’s only fitting you should come to destroy the true rival to his name…”

Then… Neo Metal Sonic paused.

His head twitched over his shoulder.

“What was that..?” He shifted his entire being to her in the air.

“…It’s only fitting the wastebasket… thrown away, outdated mech that once stood to rival Sonic The Hedgehog… would be jealous of former, glorified and reinvented successor. You’re a has-been. Your metallic junk couldn’t rival Sonic even if it tried!”

Neo Metal Sonic glared as Classic Metal Sonic barely mustered to look to him, and then to her.  
He communicated that she better run.

Neo Metal Sonic burst after her as she spiraled up and out of his clutches. One death-grip of his steel fingers and it was game over. She led him away from the stadium, like harry potter and the golden snitch; they twisted and turned through the air, dodging the metal beams of the Olympic games and spiraling away from the others.

With a forest nearby, she took cover, but he was gaining on her faster than she had time to spin herself up and dodge his slashes.

Luckily, he was looking to destroy, not to grab. She had the advantage of that, and she was flinging herself into the leaves of branches to try and create more cover for herself. “Yaaahhh-ah-ah-ah!” she panicked with a wimpy cry as his claws just narrowly skimmed her side.

Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails, damaged from their fight with Sonic and his friends, looked around for their master.

They looked to each other, and immediately fell back, blasting out of the stadium to try and find where he had gone.

“This isn’t good.” Sonic looked where they were heading, and immediately got into a running stance. “They’re retreating… I’m going after them!” he took off before anyone could say anything in return.  
And Tails did indeed have something to say, “Sonic!” but the dust from the field sprayed into his face and he spat and wiped his face off from it. “Pah, ugh! We don’t know if they’ve planted a bomb or something…”

“Metal..?” Eggman bent down by Metal Sonic, weakly trying to strain himself upward, though his ripped arm sparked wildly with his messed up right eye. “Ohh… dear…” Eggman picked him up, cradling his creation in his hands. “Activate protocol 7, immediate shutdown. Restore what you can. I’ll rebuild you shortly.” Metal Sonic’s eyes flashed twice before a power-down noise followed the fading of his eye-lights.

“Eggman…” Tails was uncertain about addressing him, but as Eggman moved up, he could see the slight sorrow in his stance.

“This is all my fault.” Eggman spoke up then, “If it weren’t for my boasting, he wouldn’t have been aggravated enough to come out of hiding… I had thought his electrical supply had all but depleted by now… I suppose I was wrong.”

“Wait! You knew Metal Sonic was alive!?” Tails looked amazed, but still pointed an accusing finger to him.

“Peh, course I knew! You think you and that little girl bot could stop my perfect creation?” He rose an eye brow and then dipped it fiercely to a glare. “I’m a better inventor than that.”

“Says the man who made anther one of him.” Knuckles stepped forward, gesturing an angry glove at the deactivated Classic Metal Sonic in his hands, and then folded his arms.

“Hoo..! Says the annoying echidna’s whose ‘genius’ friend invented a flying nuisance.” Eggman countered, and that’s when Tails remembered…

“MA…” He reached behind him to pull out of his tails his Miles-Electric.

He scanned for her signature reading…

“Oh no!” His monitors picked up her fast-moving signal, maneuvering out of the reach of another signal, and three more signals coming at them… “Metal me and Metal Knuckles weren’t retreating! They were regrouping! Metal’s got Omochao!” Tails quickly spun his tails and flew quickly towards the top of the stadium’s rim, where Sonic and the Neo Metal Sonic’s support robots flew up over.

“…MA?” Eggman didn’t understand the lingo, but grew curious about it… “What would Metal Sonic want with… HMMM!!!!” His glasses almost slid down his nose as his eyebrows shot up as far as they could. His mustache jumped up like a bird’s wings and he pushed his glasses back.

Like a child, he jumped from one foot to another, looking for something before seeing his Eggpod arrive. He quickly shoved his Metal Sonic in the pod and climbed in—falling in, more accurately—and fumbled to get upright and fly off.

“What was he so jumpy about..?” Knuckles wondered, before looking to the others still in the stadium. “Everyone, it’s okay now. Metal Sonic’s threat- or rather… the attack is over. Let’s try and gather the crowd and make sure no one’s hurt.” Knuckles surprisingly took charge as the others agreed and raced off to find the large crowd.

Much to their relief, it seemed most had driven off and others were still piling in the parking lot, but everyone looked safe.

Cream was huddled up with Cheese as Blaze approached her.

“What’s wrong..? Are you hurt?” She knelt down, being as tender as she could be and lightly placed her hand on her head. When the little girl looked up, she removed it and waited for her response through her tearful uttering.

“O… Omo…Omochao and I were separated.” She sniffled, wiping her tears.

Cheese also hugged her, looking up with sorrow as well as he worried for his robotic friend as well. “Chao, Chao…”

“Don’t worry.” Blaze smiled sweetly, but then looked up towards the sky. ‘Omochao… that’s the name Tails said too… what would this robot want with the announcer?’

Still frantic, Omochao tried with all her gears on overdrive, flicking and spinning herself to maneuver just seconds out of his claw strikes. It helped that she remembered his battle style too… although the painful memories of being shredded didn’t exactly fill her with confidence.

Oh, how she wished she had her former design. She could fight him. Truly put an end to his terrifying reign…

After a moment, she found he was reading her. Calling her moments and starting to get clever. At first, he had chosen speed over agility, but now he started to hesitate just long enough to spin a propeller off of its orbit for a moment. “W-woah!” she stabilized herself, holding her head before seeing a large tree up ahead.

‘Grr…Ooohh… if I can just move fast enough..!” this was her last try, she wouldn’t be able to keep his attention any longer.

“Come and get me, you big bully!”

She cried out as his eyes calculated her next direction. Swiftly, he pursued, but didn’t see her take to the skies at just the last moment…

His eyes widened.

He hadn’t realized that her small body would easily dodge the tree truck but leave him with barely any room to move.

He slammed into the tree as metal crunched together like a car wreck, his head turned and body crinkled up from the added, massive amount of impact his thrusters propelled from behind as he hit. The abrupt stop meant his momentum kept going, the flame on his back still wiggling his body into the tree before he shut it off and pulled away from the tree.

Then… snickering…

His head shook, absolutely livid, looking up towards the little robot…

She couldn’t help it. She put her large, teardrop arms up to her metallic face and laughed at him. It was pretty funny, but her mind knew better than to taunt him further.

Her energy and oil was running low… she wouldn’t be able to do that again.

‘…So you can’t dodge me again…’

She froze.

‘Tell me…’

He grabbed the tree, using it to turn his body towards her.

Her eyes flickered in panic moving slowly away and farther up from him.

‘…Why my communication technology… is found within a metallic insect?’

She spun around, flinging her arms around as worry and terror at last took over her again and she bolted. “Wha-ahaha-!” she hadn’t realized… he had picked up her brainwave signal!

She cut the signal off, worried he would find something in her thoughts. He communicated to her, directly through the old connection that allowed Classic Metal Sonic to commune with her.

She hadn’t realized… that Neo Metal Sonic could probably re-tap into those old, wireless lines…

Fearful of his curiosity, she retreated. What else could she do? She had lured him away from hurting innocent people, her friends,… she even saved the new Metal Sonic. She was surprised by that, but she knew what it was like…

To be under the claws’ wrath…

It was honestly in a small moment, the swift speed of Neo Metal Sonic’s blue and blurred hand reaching out and gripping her down to him.

She struggled, but finally gave in to her panic. Shaking her head, she tried to beg again as she had once done with Classic Metal Sonic. “Nooo! Let me go! Don’t-!”

He narrowed his eyes, “At last… this foolish game of cat and mouse ends.” He crushed slightly more force against her bulky build, cranking in and denting the metal form.

“N…No…” her eyes flickered in fear. ‘I just gained my independence… I don’t want to die!’

Caught… once again…

Hope left her mind as he brought his other hand up and landed to the ground, focusing entirely on the kill at hand… “I’ll destroy you for your insolence..!”

As the claw reared back, her eye-lights turned to a slit line, and she turned her head—

“MASTER!”

As if time froze, his hand jerked back… hesitating.

Her accident wasn’t realized at first.

She shivered in her fear, quaking as her sides tore from his nails digging in and piercing her, making sure his hold on her didn’t falter.

His shoulders fell slightly… and at last, his shock moved his hand to investigate.

He traced the cracks on her large forehead, trying to find an opening.

When he finally found it, Omochao’s eye-lights flashed back to fill the fullness of her oval, swirl eyes.

“Wait-! D-don’t-!”

She grabbed an inquisitive claw, trying to stop his intrusive probing but he had already unhatched the metal and pulled it off.

His eyes shook.

The metal covering hid answers, but created more questions that Neo Metal Sonic couldn’t solve.

He was amazed and bewildered, shaking his claw hand and crushing the metal covering as his formed a fist.

“What… is this!?”

What he found was a hybrid, a Frankenstein matrix of his work mingled with Tails’s ingenuity.

Unsure what to make of the monstrous contraption in his hand, and feeling offend simply by looking at it, he bent his head fully down to her…

“What are you..?!”

She simulated a gulp and turned her head away.

“A pathetic attempt to master my own perfect creations!? Does that puny fox really think he has what it takes to rival my designs!?” he reared himself back, holding her up above him. “You’re a disgrace to my genius!!!”

So…

She looked sorrowfully down at him.

He didn’t notice..?

“GRRAHH!!”

“WHHAA!”

Covering her eyes, she felt a hit and was sure she would never be able to be rebuilt again.

She waited for the darkness, but then another hit.

“Offph!”

She bounced on the ground, shaking her head and pushing her little body up to turn and see Sonic had knocked her out of Neo Metal Sonic’s hand…

“S…Sonic…”

Her being soared with new joy…

Was she saved?

Metal gripped his arm, having been kicked away by Sonic’s attack before the two jumped and started fighting one another.

“Another blue pest!!” Neo Metal Sonic blasted a horde of missiles out from the sides of himself, blasting around just behind Sonic’s steps.

Sonic smirked, tilting his gaze back to his old enemy.

“Gee, Metal Me! You’re still just as slow as ever!”

“GAHHH!!!”

“And your shout’s turned a little rusty, yikes!”

He jumped up to a tree’s branch, looking behind himself as he kept his balance. “How much is your oil intake? I bet you can’t even fly a mile without losing gas.”

“I can’t believe I was distracted… you’re the true-“

“Menace of your existence?”

“LET ME FINISH!!!”

“Haha! Too slow!”

Sonic quickly taunted and led Neo Metal Sonic further into the forest while Metal Knuckles and Metal Tails, having already been damaged by Sonic catching up to them, struggled to fly after their master…

Out of Neo Metal Sonic’s grasp, Omochao fled, flying as far as she could before feeling her systems shutting down… her gears begin to spin off their wheels…

She slowly faltered to the ground, twitching to keep herself operational, before looking up and seeing something covered by a green mat of grass…

“…I sense… How is that possible?” some robotic noises initiated to indicate a very familiar energy signal… coming from beneath the large hill…

It looked irregular to her eye…

Looking down, she saw a lip of turf, and moved it up.

Like a rug, it swung up and revealed a copper metal alloy underneath it.

She gasped, “It can’t be!”

The signature signal…

Was stating she was within the compounds.

Within Neo Metal Sonic’s run down and ruined base, Metal Amy shifted her fabricated hair as it swayed each beautiful strand over her shoulder…

She looked up at the top of her imprisonment and rose up from her knees to look at the top of it.

There was a faint indication that someone’s tank was low…

But… who’s was it?

“You may have won this time, Sonic… but you’re thinking is flawed!” Neo Metal Sonic hunched over, gripping his arm as his opposite side sparked with injuries.

Sonic flicked his nose, grinning confidently with an amused chuckle.

“Is that so..? I think I think pretty well.” He rubbed under his nose and lowered his eyes a little bit, still taunting Neo Metal Sonic on…

“What’s wrong Metal Me? Without your little nurse, you can’t keep fighting me like you used to, huh?”

The comment sent a fire raging like he had let lose a match in a coal mine.

Neo Metal Sonic’s eyes twitched.

“…Still hung up over the loss… Metal?”

Sonic lowered his hand, looking like he was examining Neo Metal Sonic’s reaction to him.

“What loss?!”

He glared at his timeless rival.

“I still have her… it seems to me you’re the one that can’t forget that…”

“…What do you mean you have her?”

Sonic’s face turned to confusion, blinking in innocence.

“You rebuilt her or something?”

“Of course I rebuilt her! What are you implying!?”

“…I guess… Nothing.”

Sonic shrugged, not going to take it further.

‘So…’ he opened his eyes, ‘He didn’t find out who Omochao’s real identity was… but then… are there two Metal Amys now..? And if so, why didn’t he send her out with the rest of the metal gang..? Wouldn’t he need her support options?’

“What are you staring at..?”

Neo Metal Sonic had never seen Sonic stare at him with such thought before, and it led to suspicion…

What was Sonic thinking..? And why the sudden interest in hearing about Metal Amy..?

Sonic just stared at him a minute more… pouting, before giving a big yawn and fanning Neo Metal Sonic’s question off from himself.

“Nothing, Nothing~ I’m just getting bored standing around, is all. I was hoping that would make you come at me again. Oh well, old bots gotta take his nap and recharge.” Sonic stretched, exercising a moment in place and even being bold enough to do push-ups… while clapping with each push.

“But I-“ Clap! “Guess that-“ Clap! “We’ll fight-“ Clap! “Again then!”

“Grrr… Enough of this.” Neo Metal Sonic threw his hand back to his supports, who looked to him for instructions.

His cape flowed and he sent a wireless signal to them, communicating as they glared to Sonic and rose up, fleeing with the new wind…

“Till we fight again… My mortal enemy…”

“Bane of your life?” He cooed, giving himself a charming look.

“Tsk. She’s made you soft…”

Neo Metal Sonic turned his head slightly.

“Huh? Who has?”

Neo Metal Sonic jumped with a powerful leap, carrying himself away as Sonic watched him a moment before scratching the upper side of his head.

“…Huh… Did he mean-?”

“Soooniiiccc!!!”

Amy Rose charged through the thicket, reaching her arms out and jumping into him.

“H-hey! What gives?” Sonic caught her but seemed uneasy at the entry, “What’s the matter?”

“Oh, Sonic! I’m glad you’re safe!” she cried out, moving away and putting her hands worriedly up by her chin, looking around him. “Where’s Omochao? Isn’t he with you?”

“Oh, yeah. I kicked him over there.” Sonic nonchalantly pointed off, as if a matter of fact statement.

“You kicked him!?” Amy’s voice shook him and he flinched his body in, looking back to her with a sweat-drop forming ever so faintly on the side of his face.

“W-well… I had too, Amy.”  
“Oooh! There is never a good reason to kick a poor, defenseless robot, Sonic!” She stomped off towards where he pointed and started to look around, like a concerned mother in the grass. “Omochao? Omochao..? Where are you, sweetie?” she held a fist to her heart and moved some long leaves out of the way, and other bushes as well.

“I don’t see him…” She thought about Metal Amy then… “What if … she…” she looked off then, worriedly towards the setting sun…

Neo Metal Sonic landed in a clearing, walking ahead towards his Metal support.

They held their ground, waiting for him, before he lengthened his claws and slashed both their heads off.

“Insolent..! Your all useless to me!” he heard the small explosions of the cords sparking out from their sudden disconnection and used his cape to guard against the heat wave it created.

“Tsk…” he kicked Metal Tails’s body, having been blown off some of his other limps from the explosion. “…What if you were like her…” he lowered his eyes then… staring at his burning creation…  
“…What if you both were like her..?”

“What if there are two of her?”

Neo Metal Sonic charged an energy beam in his hand, forming a ball and then shot it back with a twist of his torso.

Eggman skillfully dodged the assault, and smiled with a wicked but knowing grin as his glasses reflected the yellowish orange of the fading sun.

He placed his hands professionally together and in front of his Eggmobile, grinning from ear to ear… “Hello, Neo… Or, do you prefer your whole, new name? Honestly, it’s quite a mouthful. And I’m not against mouthfuls! Ho-oh! Oh no! But I’m just saying, it doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as nicely as-“

“Enough chatter… Doctor… Do you have a death wish as well?” he was referring to the fallen robots before him…

Eggman looked at them, sticking out his lower lip as if thinking about it before judging against it. “No, no. I’ve had enough run-ins with you to know that would do me no good.” He waved his hand out, but a playful smirk crossed his face again. “However… I do have information I know you’d be dying to know… Seeing as your interest in your little rebel creation still seems to be pretty active… why not hear me out and make a deal~?” he untied his hands from one another and placed his finger tips together, lowering into a hunch as he stared down Neo Metal Sonic, a truly creepy approach… but it was working.

“…What information could you possibly hold on my creation?” Neo Metal Sonic lifted a clawed hand up, showing it still fully lengthened out as far as it could go. “You haven’t even found my hideout…”  
“And you have yet to find mine, but that’s not the point.” Eggman leaned back up and opened his arms out, bending his elbows towards his side and lifting a leg over the other.

Neo Metal Sonic was insulted by how relaxed he was, glaring towards his former master… but there was something about his demeanor that seemed to ensure Eggman of his life… what was it?

“Hohoho, curiosity was always your downfall, Metal. You don’t mind me referring to you as that, now do you? After all, I may have another you, but you’re still my precious failure~” he put one hand under his chin, almost pretending to dote on his long, lost metallic son… “But I digress.” He continued, sitting up. “I have valuable knowledge on what may have occurred at your little fiasco of a battle with Metal Amy.”

Neo Metal Sonic’s eyes widened and held their stare.

“…Shall I go on?”

“I defeated her. There is no knowledge you could possibly know that I don’t have.” He started to walk menacingly up towards the Doctor, getting ready to strike him down from the skies…

“A-ah-ah! But… If you’ll trade me the location to where you mine your flexi-durable alloy…” he immediately reversed his Eggmobile to stay out of Neo Metal Sonic’s range… but the fact that Dr. Eggman wanted his alloy made him stop and tilt his head to listen further…

“I could tell you something that would really rock your reality.” Eggman beamed a villain’s sly pleasure at having the upper hand.

“Share it… And I’ll tell you what I’ve figured out.”

“…What do you know..?” Neo Metal Sonic narrowed his eyes but lowered his hand down.

“Ah, see? We’re finally communicating! I think that was the problem all along between us two… back in the day? I think it was a lack of clarity and-“

His claws scraped against each other, mimicking the ticking of a clock…

“R-right, well, what I mean to say is… information first.” Eggman extended a virtual map up on his dash, having it revealed like a hologram above him. “…please?”

Neo Metal Sonic looked annoyed by his mannerisms. “I warn you, Doctor… You won’t fair well if you continually treat me like a toy!” He swiped his hand and withdrew his claws, the location being sent and the map revealing a blinking green dot on the light blue hologram.

His obsidian, sleek cape wrapped around his torso a moment from the strong wind before flopping and flapping back behind him.

He folded his arms, looking about ready to quit this little charade and depart to repair his creations already…

“Hehehe… hohohooo… Remember that little blue bot?” Eggman snickered, pulling the map onto his monitor and looking it over carefully.

“…The one that addresses itself as Omochao?” he lowered one of his eyelids, cocking his head back a bit. “I’m vaguely familiar…” He then lowered both, showing his annoyance as he also vaguely recalled the tree…

“Well…”

Eggman stalled, getting the data onto a flashdrive and pulling it out, tucking it into his sleeve…  
He grinned.

“Something should be familiar about it…”

“…Are you suggesting that the technology Tails likely salvaged from my battle with Metal Amy was used to creating that worthless contraption?”

Eggman looked up, “Oh? You took a look at its parts?” He seemed genuinely intrigued and surprised at that detail.

“The old programming in it must have been triggered. Sonic’s friend tried to replicate or decipher my perfect design… but even with my old technology, it’s nothing compared to what I have created next…” Proudly, Neo Metal Sonic boasted and gestured a hand out to mock Tails’s attempt at trying to recreate his techniques. But this action could just be a mimicry of Eggman’s continually bold speeches of his own excellence…

Dr. Eggman’s mustache twitched… he seemed to see the similarity of his gloatings as well…

“Ehem. Well. For a robot so smart, you’re missing the bigger picture here.”

“You not asking for my technology secrets was the real missed picture, Doctor Eggman…”

“You mock me now, boy! But see here!” Eggman rose from his chair, now seeing that Neo Metal Sonic was in fact parodying him.

“If you could properly connect two and two together, I wouldn’t even have to be hovering here and having to holler any of this at you!” He waved his authoritative finger, that truly held no power in this situation, and scolded Neo Metal Sonic before finally letting the penny drop.

“The truth is-! Your precious little creation you loved so much did in fact escape your destruction! I know who Omochao really is! And was! She’s your darling little counterfeit to Amy Rose!!!”

Neo Metal Sonic’s stance broke.

“…No…”

All those clever escapes… all those times she evaded his wrath…

Then it hit him.

His eyes looked up to the sky as if reliving the action of Omochao raising its head up, flying higher than him…

His eyes shook and eyes burnt red…

“No..!”

His systems brought the image of her rebellious stance of hovering tall and mighty in the air… and overlapped it with Omochao’s…

The stance… the angle of the head back and upwards… the eyes…

Though two very different forms… it matched perfectly.

“There… Even you aren’t immune to surprises from your own inventions…” Eggman grumbled, taking off as Neo Metal Sonic dropped his head, swayed his body back, and blared a loud and outraged cry into the night air…

“NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

She escaped the torture… his revenge…

Tails must have done more than salvaged parts…

He must have copied who she was…

He must have…

“Her ‘heart’…”

Neo Metal Sonic lowered his head again… his whole body hunching down and falling to his knees, gripping his head.

“She’s evaded me..? … Me? Lived in this… this misshapen-!?” he looked over his hands, “She… There cannot be even a fraction of her that is not mine…”

He formed a fist, raising himself up.

“She will pay for escaping my wrath… I will do far worse things to her creation than her ‘sister’ has ever sustained!!!”

The intensity of the vibrations that shifted the magnetism of the field around him had small pebbles tremble and float slightly around him. The two decapitated robots parts and scrap metal lifted into the air… as his form rose and looked off to his laboratory.

“This time… Not even your ‘heart’ will tick twice before pain and suffering fries your internal circuits into an everlasting torment! I will make you feel the death of the organics you devote your affections and service to so much—every time you charge me! I will not have you be anything else but mine own creation! And with these two hands… I will make you wish you were never conceived!!!”

His being blasted forward, a strand of fire swerved in the sky like a snake’s path, a sonic boom pushing it out of its trail and causing it to blow away into nothingness…

The jet stream it left created a direct line towards his destination… as Tails looked up in the sky… and carefully watched the sparkling comet disappear over the horizon…

“Omochao…” he softly whispered.

“Please be safe.”

(I don’t know, Tails. He seemed pretty TICKED. I don’t know how she’s gonna wiggle herself out of this one… But what on earth could possibly happen? I mean… they’re robots! Robots can’t… w-well…

Could they?

The terror continues as we kick off Season 2 with a powerful declaration from Neo Metal Sonic! Has he truly abandoned the organic errors he grew so fond of through Metal Amy? Will that horribly abusive and possessive bond ever turn sweet and gentle? AHAHAHAHAHAHAH You’re reading the wrong fanfiction! Or… are you? Stay tuned~ ;)b )

BONUS:

Eggman happily placed his flashdrive into his super computer, rocking onto his toes and pushing upwards as everything powered on and took the data…

Classic Metal Sonic, having been repaired by Orbot and Cubot dragging him back to Eggman’s hideout, walked briskly onto the center hub’s bridge…

“Ah! Metal~” Eggman turned around, cooing like the devoted father he acted out in front of Neo Metal Sonic. “You should hear this… that little robot you met today? She was once a powerfully rebellious robot… she was invented by your previous model… and ended up—ironically—betraying him in similar fashions.” Eggman laughed, his shoulders bouncing in amusement at that. “Karma.” He wiggled his head up as if treating it as a silly thing.

He then made his way over to him, moving behind him and wrapping an arm around his shoulders, having to hunch down and squat a bit to do so. Classic Metal Sonic looked down at his arm, not seeming to understand the strange gesture, before turning to look back up at him, not very happy—nor comfortable—at the ‘touch’ his master was giving him apparently…

“She basically destroyed him… or rather, he destroyed her first but she still left him obsolete. Can you imagine, Metal? Well, of course you can’t. I made sure of it! Haha! Ahh…” Eggman moved his hand away from him and placed his hands behind his back, walking back to his overly larged computers… clearly compensating for something…

Or maybe he just liked a large, 4K screen…

“You could probably even communicate to that little robot through his old technology too! Come to think of it…” he scratched under his chin. “Ah, it doesn’t matter. With how Neo Metal Sonic was reacting, the figure known as ‘Omochao’ won’t be around much longer anyway…”

Classic Metal looked down, amazed slightly that that little robot challenged his predecessor, and even more amazed that in a former life… she narrowly beat him.

Fancinated by the story… he suddenly looks very convinced at a new thought in mind…

He could be the best Sonic… if he could tame the one thing the other two Sonics couldn’t…

He started plotting then… from that moment on… the silent commitment to use her against the Sonics… and then, destroy her and prove his ultimate worth and creation was better than theirs! 

Organic or scrap metal… he would trump them all…

Proving once and for all his masters words…

His greatest, number one creation…


End file.
